A few months later, the couple was having coffee at their preferred after filing the team's reports on their latest mission.
"I've been thinking…" Hermione began, Fleur noticed she seemed apprehensive and smiled inwardly. She knew what was coming. Despite being with the lioness for almost two years, she had learned more about her than she expected. She let the brunette gather the courage her house was so proud of. A slight nod to urge her on. "Do you remember what Minerva said towards the end of my period in Hogwarts?"
"Oui. 'ave you chosen what you want to study?" The blonde smiled at her mate, noting the surprise on her face. "You didn't expect me to be completely oblivious to your state of mind, right?" She smirked and resumed speaking after the brunette failed to answer. "Zee job was never what you wanted to do for zee rest of your life, mon Amour. I've been aware of eet ever since you suggested joining zee force. I believe you would't be completely fulfilled even eef you 'ad continued working with Evangeline."
"Right. I don't know why it's a surprise for me. Sometimes I think you know me better than myself."
"Zee ozer way around yes also truth."
"You do remember I know you speak english flawlessly, right?"
"See? I do. But I know my beautiful mate is enamoured with my accent." She countered with a smirk.
"Right."
"Don't zink I forgot what you were saying, ma Belle."
"I would never. Your brain is something akin to an eagle."
"I'd say to a crow. But you were saying...?"
"Ok... I confess it's not really a tough decision. My favourite subject has always been Transfiguration. Though I'm inclined to study Ancient Runes too..."
"I'm glad you made up your mind, ma Cherie. 'ave you talked to Minerva yet?"
"No. I wanted to talk to you first."
"And you were afraid of doing so." She noticed her mate blush while nodding. "You know, I've been thinking on changing my line of work too."
"Why did't you say so?"
"I just figured you would set your mind quickly…" Fleur smiled and took a sip of her coffee. "You researched all possible masters and mistresses along with zee programs, didn't you?"
"Of course. I-"
"And you 'ave a rated list after analysing pros and cons." Hermione simply beamed, her blush dusting the top of her ears. "Tell me, ma Belle, which school 'as zee best potions program?"
"Well…"
"'ogwarts and Beauxbatons, non?"
"You were teasing me, but you did the exact same thing!"
"Eet takes one to know one, eesn't eet what muggles say?" Fleur laughed, pecking on her girlfriend's cheek.
"So… Potions?"
"Oui. And Transfiguration." The blonde smiled as Hermione looked surprised. 'Don't be so surprised, ma belle.'
'I'm not.' The lioness frowned a bit.
Immediately after getting home, Hermione set to write a letter to Minerva. Fleur smiled at her excitement. She could feel it just as much as she felt hers.
"Beauxbatons ees your first choice eesn't eet?" Fleur asked as she watched her mate write to her favourite professor.
"Well-" The other woman answered in a distant voice, chewing the quill's tip. "I have been wondering how your school looks like-"
"And your goal ees to teach 'ere."
"Yes…"
"I should probably send a letter to Madam Maxime zen. I'm sure she will be more zan zrilled to know we intend on studying zere."
"Fleur-"
"Ma Belle, don't even begin. I don't intend on spending any night apart from you."
"Ok. I won't argue. But-"
"Non." The blonde got up and approached the lioness. "I'll go too. And yes, I'm absolutely sure Juliette will take you. You are famous for your academic prowess. And Minerva will back your application, as will I."
"Thank you, Love."
"'ave you talked to 'arry already?" The lioness blanched, and the veela chuckled. "'e will understand."
"I know. It's just-"
"I doubt 'e'll stay zere for long. And you two will probably be at 'ogwarts together again sooner zan you zink."
"Alright. Should we invite them for dinner?"
"Woman, you zink I'm your slave?" Fleur forced her face into an angry expression. No will could counter the way her lover's face fell, and she started laughing. "Your face! Ma Belle! Priceless."
"Do remember me why do I endure you, you menace!" Hermione rolled her eyes at her and pushed her away.
"Because you love me! And because I'm très belle." Fleur beamed. "Invite zem. I'll manage something. Let me see." She walked to the kitchen. "What about a ramen? I don't zink I've done eet for any of zem."
"You cook Japanese too? Woman, where did you come from?"
"France." She deadpanned. After a second, they broke down laughing.
"I'll call them. What do you want me to do?"
"Sit there. It's really simple as we 'ave some zings stored already. Eet should be quick." The veela smiled at her mate. Just as Hermione was leaving, she reached for her hand and spun her around. Holding her close, she took her scent in and kissed her deeply. A couple of minutes later, the brunette left the kitchen a little dazed.
"You are starring!"
"Oui."
"Creep."
"But yours." She heard a sigh from the younger woman.
Two hours later had them sitting and talking with the trio next door. After eating like there was no tomorrow.
"I really shouldn't have eaten so much." Ginny exclaimed, clearly feeling as full as Fleur. The blonde nodded. "How come you never cooked that for us? It's wonderful!"
"Never got zee chance."
"I wanted to keep it for myself." Hermione joked.
"Zat too."
"Where did you learn that, Fleur?" Harry, ever the cook, asked.
"An exchange student from Mahoutokoro at my sixth year. They loved eet and kept going to zee kitchens to make eet. Once I 'eard of eet, I asked zem to teach me. Eet's quite simple, I zink."
The conversation moved along until Hermione (and Fleur) had gathered her courage to speak up.
"So…" She began. "Ihavebeenthinkingaboutgettingmymastersintransfiguration."
"Mi, breathe." Ginny smiled. "And please repeat slowly. You can't be a teacher if you speak so fast."
"Wha-"
"Really? We know you." Harry locked eyes with her. Fleur felt her mate relax instantly. "Transfiguration, uh?"
"Please tell me you'll go through everything to become an animagus!" Ginny exclaimed. Fleur glanced at her curiously then remembered Hermione telling her about how Minerva began her first lesson to the first years.
Real surprise overtook her as she felt something land on her shoulder. She didn't need to look to know it was her mate and knew her expression was as much of surprise as were the ones their guests depicted.
'Surprise!' She heard her mate say through their connection.
'Indeed, ma belle. Let me see you.' She smiled.
"Only you, Hermione! Figures you would morph into an eagle or something." Ginny, as usual, was the first to say something out loud.
The older lioness hopped into the table, luckily they had cleaned it. Though she was ever so careful.
A massive dark brown bird of prey, with a golden head and neck.
"A Golden Eagle." Harry surprised everyone by identifying the species. "What? I had a lot of time to spend when the Dursleys looked me out of the house. I enjoyed watching the birds. Eventually I started studying them." He raised his shoulders.
"Majestic." Fleur, said, in awe.
With a ruffle of wings, Hermione was standing behind Fleur.
"So. Transfiguration?" Harry smiled at them.
"Yes. Probably in France." Hermione smiled at him, clearly much more comfortable than earlier.
'I told you he would take it well.'
"Oh!"
"Beauxbatons?" Luna asked. At Hermione's nod, she smiled. "They are known for basically the same subjects as Hogwarts. What are your plans, Fleur?"
"I'm applying for a potions mastery." She answered while caressing Hermione's knee.
"So you'll be leaving soon?" Ginny asked.
"Gin, we didn't even apply yet." Hermione reminded her. "We don't even k-"
"I'm sure you'll get it. Who wouldn't want the golden girl as a student. I wonder how McG will react at this." The redhead interrupted.
At that, Dobby appeared.
"Dobby is deeply sorry to interrupt. Mistress Minerva wanted you to have her answer as soon as possible."
"Thank you, Dobby." The brunette immediately opened the letter. Fleur got behind her to read along.
"She seems pleased." The blonde supplied, after reading it and sensing how curious everyone was.
"Of course she is!" Luna smiled.
"And she says she will get in touch with their Transfiguration mistress immediately."
"There! You'll get in." Ginny laughed.
"They would be insane if they didn't accept you, Hermione." Harry offered.
After they had talked about their plans to the trio, Maxime had answered Fleur's letter with an enthusiasm aki to Minerva's. She had taken the liberty of enclosing the forms they needed for the application, saying they could simply make a gemini and send them back completed and signed. Which they did that same day, all documents needed attached too. They used official mailing as requested.
The next thing Hermione had to do now was talk to her parents. Rationally, she knew they would receive the news well. But she was nervous. Fleur kept trying to calm her down, but she herself was nervous too. They got to her childhood home for dinner a week after talking to Harry.
"Fleur! Hermione!" Her mother answered the door. "Come in, darlings! Dinner is almost ready." She hugged the both and guided them to the living room.
"Pumpkin!" She heard her dad from the kitchen. "Fleur! I'll be right there!"
"Hi dad!"
"'ello Mr Granger!"
"Fleur!"
"Désolé! (Sorry!) 'i Emmet!"
"Better."
Dinner went well, despite Hermione not being able to stop her leg from moving. As they sat back in the sofa, her mother smiled at her.
"What you need to tell us, darling?"
"I-"
"Please tell me you are not in mortal danger again!"
"No, Dad. I'm not." She rolled her eyes. "It's just…"
"Dear, say it at once. You being nervous won't help you after all."
"Right." She took a deep breath and explained. They listened attentively.
"So, you will go to France to get you degree?" Her dad summarised.
"Yes."
"So will Fleur."
"Oui."
"I'm glad you can do it together. It will work similarly to you time in Hogwarts?" Her mother questioned seriously.
"Non. Eet doesn't work like boarding school zough we do 'ave zee option to live zere. I'd say eet's pretty similar to a muggle Université. And eet's length depends on zee student. Eet usually takes about two to zree years."
"And you will live there?"
"We are not sure yet. Apolline offered the house the family has on a nearby wizarding village. There's nothing settled yet."
"I see… So we will probably have a way to visit you while you are there."
"And we will be able to get breaks to come here."
"Hermione, dear. We all know it will not happen. You'll take forced breaks if much." Her dad joked.
"It seems like a wonderful plan to me. And we get to travel a bit too, honey!" Her mother exclaimed. The conversation turned them with them speaking of everything.
They still had a few things left to do. After receiving their acceptance letters, (something they had gone out to celebrate with the trio and Bill - and Hermione's family on a second moment) they had to resign from their current job. Hand in hand, they walked into the Ministry of Magic for the last time as employees.
As they entered the minister's office, the trio and their bosses immediately greeted them. The minister smiled at them warmly. Everyone knew why they were there. They had shared the news with their friends after all, it was only a bonus that they were good friends with their bosses. Tonks beamed at them.
"I honestly thought it would take longer for you to leave the building." Her hair took a bubblegum pink shade. "I might say I'm sad you are going but I'm happy for you."
"Thank you, Tonks." Hermione beamed back.
"I need to say I'm inclined to leave too." Harry said, surprising everyone but his girlfriends who nodded.
"I'm loosing not two extraordinary aurors, but the whole team?"
"I'm sorry, Tonks…"
"It's ok. I knew none of you actually wanted to be aurors for the rest of your lives." Tonks beamed at them. "Though I might try to steal you from time to time for a few demonstrations."
"That should be fun!" Luna smiled at her while they all nodded.
"Hermione" Evangeline called. "If you have any ideas for improving our relations with magical creatures, we will always be open to your propositions! Your document about changing the name of the Department is long overdue. It's already on the way the wizengamot."
"Thank you, Evangeline. That's awesome news!"
"So, I'm about excuse the five of you from your service to the Ministry. Well, I hope you can find your dream job. Weasley, I expect to see you on the Harpies' team next season." Kingsley smiled at them. "And expect to be summoned to the trials. It won't take much, I believe."
"Yes, sir." Fleur said seriously, as the other four nodded seriously.
They shook hands and signed papers. Fifteen minutes later, they were walking through the Ministry's atrium. Almost everyone that walked past them greeted them, though Fleur noticed most took a bit longer while shaking Harry's hand.
"Honestly, Harry. You deal with this since you were almost eleven. Why didn't you get used to this?" Ginny teased him.
"I still hate the attention. I did nothing both times."
"You are too 'umble for your own good, 'arry." Fleur smiled at her mate's brother. "You did almost die twice."
"Technically, he did die the second time around." Hermione mumbled.
"Well, what about some coffee before we go our ways? Gin still have to go talk to the Harpies, and I need to talk to McGonagall."
"I should talk to her too…" Luna smiled at her boyfriend.
"Ok. I must admit it was an appreciable change of topics. What about we go to the café?" Hermione knocked shoulders with Harry, making him feign being hurt. Though Fleur wondered at what length he was pretending, her Hermione was stronger than she used to be, after all.
"Oui. I miss Jilpy and we 'aven't talked to 'er yet."
"To the café, then."
Beca guided them to the reserved area as soon as they got there. Their beverages choices appearing before them as soon as they sat, and the waitress - Beca - took the rest of their order. She asked if Jilpy was too busy and about ten minutes later the Elf appeared with their order. She and Hermione shared the news with Jilpy, who seemed torn between being happy for them and sad that they wouldn't be so close. In the end, the Elf smiled at the five of them and vanished for a whole five minutes, only to come back beaming.
"Jilpy is happy to inform you that you will have your coffee at your French school. And where ever you are. Miss Aubrey says she will be delighted to provide it for all of you."
"Oh!" Hermione exclaimed. "That's wonderful!"
"Oui."
After the elf left them, there was a pause at the table.
"Well, at least I'll have this awesome coffee if I'm accepted in the Harpies Team."
"Gin! You will be! You know this, we all do, Love! They would be idiotic not to take you." Harry smiled at her.
"Harry's right, Gin." Hermione smiled at her ginger friend. "So, we all know what Ginny is doing now. What about you two? You surprised us by resigning along with us."
"Well, honestly, I don't see myself in the force without you and I doubt we would work so well with anyone else. Even Ron. It was the logical step." Harry smiled sheepishly.
"What now, zen?"
"I've been thinking about what I enjoyed doing and the DA sessions came into my mind. I realised I enjoyed teaching. So I guess my next step would be Masters."
"DADA."
"Yes."
"I haven't made up my mind yet. But I've been thinking about studying magical creatures. Or running the Quibbler. Though I'm more inclined to the first option."
"Oh! I know!" Hermione suddenly exclaimed. "I think I can help a bit. I researched the biggest schools and found out most of them accept remote alumni. Beauxbatons doesn't though. But the best DADA program is Mahoutokoro, in Japan as far as I've seen. And Castelobruxo's on Magical Creatures is the best of all I've researched. Both of them take remote students."
"That's awesome!" Harry beamed at her. "Thank you, Hermione!"
"I have my notes at home if you want them. And you probably should talk to Minerva too…"
When they left the café, the group went their separate ways. Ginny making a detour to buy something at Quality Quidditch Supplies Shop, Harry and Ginny heading home and Hermione and her going to Flourish and Blotts.
Hermione bought some new books she had been wanting to buy, so did Fleur. The latter promising her mate that they would go to the book's store in France. The one she had bought her first year's books.
A/N: Hey, my dear readers! It's I, your friendly neighbour Celtic! I hope you liked it! Some fluff and domestic... I spent a long time deciding what animagus Hermione would be. And I figured Hermione could get a nickname as, honestly, I myself tend to try to find one for people close to me.
Also, do you want any specific oneshot? I accept suggestions!
Please review (and answer me...), I'm always pleased to learn what you think!
;3
See Yah! I hope this gives you some help to survive the craziness we are going through right now.
PS: Phooenicis : Right?!
WK: Yep! I was fun writing that scene; I rewrote it a few times, but I like where I finally got. And interruptions are from hell but usually do allow a bigger release...
PPS: If you feel like sending me requests suggestions or prompts, feel free to reach me by PM or email me: celticdaughterfics (gmail)
