Chapter 4 - Chiming
Sybelle found Hermione brooding in one of the house's balconies, late at night. The older Veela watched the young woman for a few minutes. Hermione was, as always, lost in her thoughts, and Sybelle only needed their brief acquaintance to know this happened often. In the last three days, she had come to know Hermione better with the bonding ritual as well, and figured it was better to speak with her sooner rather than later. With calm steps, she approached the woman.
"So, are you going to tell me why you and Fleur can't stand to be in the same room together without supervision?" Her voice was casual, but Hermone surmised that the conversation wasn't optional.
"Fleur has always been stubborn, Sybelle," Hermione deflected.
"How curious that that was the same thing she said," Sybelle commented idly. "Now, don't make me repeat the question," She continued seriously, putting one hand on Hermione's shoulder, and guiding her to sit on a nearby bench. Hermione huffed out a sigh.
"I don't know why I'm being so defensive with her. And yes, I am aware that I'm being difficult…" Hermione put her hands on her face, squeezing her eyes shut. "I guess… Being around someone in the Weasley family puts me on edge. Or makes me excessively hard-headed, or both." Hermione's voice was muffled by her hands.
"Well, that does not exactly explain why you are like this with Fleur."
"She is a Delacour, I know, but Bill-"
"Hasn't been Fleur's husband for a long time now."
"He isn't Fleur's husband? Wait...what?" Hermione was aghast, stumbling over her words.
"I thought you knew that. They separated almost seven years ago," Sybelle explained, looking away. "It was hard when she came here while married to him, the clan didn't accept them at all."
"I didn't see you at the ceremony."
"I didn't go. Attending that ceremony was implicit agreement to a marriage I did not approve of. I was completely against it, in fact. Fleur forced herself to love that man. I do know he was a good husband and person. He was present and affectionate, but he never truly accepted her Veela heritage. And that was a violation against everything we are," Sybelle told her sadly. "Because of it, my relationship with Fleur was tense for a long time. When they split, the divorce spiraled into a disastrous melodrama. That's why I thought you knew."
"Seven years ago, I was not in England." After an extended moment of silence, both heard footsteps approaching. When Hermione looked over her shoulder, she saw the rest of the Delacour women there. She stared at Fleur for a while, and started to talk.
"Nine years ago, Ronald had been pushing for me to date him with his mother's help, though I didn't want to. The pressure on a non-existent connection was huge. I made the poor choice to defend my sexual orientation, which I had known for years thanks to Pansy. The situation totally went awry. The night everything spun out of control was when Ronald appeared drunk at my house, shouting and making a big scene about me not loving him, about me being a "dyke" was only something happening as a strange phase and that he, as a 'good man,' would fix it. I lost control of my temper and pushed him away, but he grabbed my arm and apparated to the Burrow. We splinched; I lost part of my hair and he lost part of his shoulder." Fleur and Hermione were still staring at each other, and the blonde was frowning as she listened to what was clearly new information.
"Molly went crazy. She healed Ronald's shoulder, and he immediately began screaming about me trying to kill him when he said he was going to "fix me." I countered that by saying he was a drunk bastard who invaded my house, and that he decided to apparate us in his youthful madness. And while intoxicated, no less! We continued to argue and I stupefied him when he called me a vicious bitch who would die alone abandoned by everyone I knew, and only then would I accept him as my owner. He fell unconscious and then Molly banished me. She modified the house spells to eject me off the property, and I ended up in the middle of a damn mud pit, sore as hell. When I finally arrived home, there was a howler waiting, forbidding me from approaching the house and any Weasley, especially Ronald. Charlie and Percy also agreed with Molly, and in fact, Ginny was the only one who kept in contact with me after the debacle." She sighed deeply, closing her eyes and feeling overwhelmed by the memories. "Ginny told me everything he said to the family, and Arthur apparently can't even stand to hear my name spoken."
"And then what happened?" Lira moved next to Hermione, gingerly placing her hand on Hermione's shoulder. Gabby had said that Hermione's situation had been bad, but she had never gone into detail.
"I left London," Hermione shrugged. "Anywhere was better than remaining in the area and dealing with all of that. I went to Scotland and spent almost six months with Minerva. She was teaching me personally, but our fields of work eventually diverged. When we concluded that she had taught me everything she could, I moved on. I went to Paris. There I stayed as long as I could, almost three years."
"Was it there that you met your mistress?" Apolline asked softly.
"Yes, Morgan is a great teacher and has also become a great friend and family member." Hermione stretched slightly, her spine cracking. "I took my studies very seriously, which I'm sure surprises you all to hear," she quipped. "In the meantime, I met several different people, including Mia, Atticus and Bastien. Bonnie became a dear friend while I was in Paris, and overall I learned a lot from everyone I met. But with London I kept contact to a minimum, though I needed to return monthly in order to report to the ministry and stay for at least a week. Luna offered me a room, since I had sold my apartment and staying with Harry and Ginny was impossible due to the number of visits they received from the Weasleys. When I returned to London, Luna and I continued to live together, and seven years ago I met Gabby." She smiled at her friend.
"Who has become a great friend and part of my little family. Neither Luna nor Ginny inform me of any news regarding that family, just as they do not disclose to them anything happening to me. A fair exchange, in my opinion. I became extremely cautious and found different ways to avoid each and every Weasley in order to minimize inconvenience." She looked back at Fleur. "With my current misinformation, I imagine you understand why I treated you so strangely in the last few days, " A long silence took the night and almost one hour had passed.
"You are welcome here, Hermione," Lira assured her, and pulled the young woman into a very long hug.
"I have a question," Hermione directed to Sybelle, distengaling herself from the embrace, only to be pulled in again by Lira.
"Question away, but you're going to be hugged for a lifetime," Apolline said with a laugh. "She will not release you any time soon."
"All right. So when did the clock break? How did you realize it had malfunctioned?" Sybelle sighed heavily.
"We don't know exactly how it broke. Only that one day we looked at it, and it was totally white, displaying the "unknown" status. It is a clock that changes color according to danger level, and it is usually green or maybe a light yellow, indicating "Safe," or threat level one.
The moment we saw that the clock had stopped, there was a great commotion. I sent people to all the clans, and we realized that they were still stationed in the same place, except the nomads, but they are nomads after all. Everyone was safe, but our biggest source of information was out of commission.
We launched a massive repair operation, and Veela from all corners of the world came to try and help, but nothing worked. In fact, the clock's magic did not react to any Veela's, except for those of us in the Delacour family. It was at this discovery that Gabby suggested that we call someone outside, and again it was a huge commotion. The clock has lain dormant for about two weeks now, and we have reverted to old methods of passing information, so we have owls and patronus' flying everywhere. This is slow and time consuming, and honestly the worst way to keep our large community informed," Sybelle explained dolefully. "Not only for the data it gives us, but for being an ancient symbol of the clans, we really need it repaired."
"I know it's tough to wait," Hermione began. "The metal pieces are ready, but I can't start the wooden parts until I get the stones I need. However, if Fleur is available and willing, we can go to the forests tomorrow during the day. I know that the moon's phase will be favorable for the parts we will remove to regrow quickly. Maybe we'll even need to spend the night in the forest and return the next day, as I would like to check up on the tree after I take what we need." Hermione was intent on smoothing things over with Fleur, and hoped her explanation of her somewhat hot-and-cold behavior would appease the blonde.
"Of course, we have free access to the Parc Naturel Régional de Millevaches en Limousin. Hopefully it will not take too long to find the right type of oak."
"I hope so. A large trunk will be necessary to replace the broken parts. Which brings me to another point. I do not want to start a line of accusations, Madame Delacour, but this degree of damage is not due to any sort of normal wear and tear."
"Are you suggesting that someone broke the clock?" Apolline asked in a hard tone.
"Well, more specifically, she's saying a Veela tampered with it," Lira corrected her wife calmly.
"Are you? Accusing a Veela?" Fleur asked, shocked.
"Yes," Hermione said succinctly. "No magical item could break like this. External magical forces are needed to do it, and all the damage is concentrated on a specific part; all the wheels are from the same quadrant."
"Hermione, couldn't that damage have been due to a cog wheel breaking and creating a domino effect?" Sybelle asked worriedly.
"I spent the last day thinking about it, I ran all the scenarios in my mind and thought and thought. No teeth were broken, only the supports. One of them was fractured from tip to end in a smooth line. Two gears were broken in the middle, the others as if someone had hit them directly with a spell. All of this was enacted from a second magical source. Which also explains the almost dull panic I sensed when I started to dismantle her. I wouldn't pose such an explanation if I wasn't sure." The tone she used was cautious, Hermione certainly hadn't wanted to present Sybelle with such a troubling revelation, but there was no other likely justification for the state of the clock. "I'm sorry to have to bring you more bad news, but it would be negligence on my part to fail to inform you that the origin of the damage is suspicious. I will retire now, as I know you need to think and discuss this." Sybelle nodded, as did Lira and Apolline.
When she passed Gabby, she lightly kissed her friend's cheek, and the younger blonde returned the gesture with a kiss on Hermione's forehead and a whispered wish for a good night. When she passed Fleur, she placed a hand on Hermione's forearm. They didn't speak, but both felt that characteristic warmth emanate inside their chests. Fleur smiled slightly and just as her sister had, whispered a small wish for a good night.
HGFDHGFDHGFD
The next day arrived with an odd sort of calm, as Hermione was still waiting for the stones to be located, she basically had nothing to do and woke up later than usual. The Delacour house was quiet and cozy. Hermione felt herself relaxing enough that her nightmares had given the young woman a break. She woke up with her usual 'lion's mane hair,' with strands scattered everywhere. She cast some well-practiced spells mixed in with brush strokes, and her damp post-bath hair was tame again. Even though her hair was shorter than when she was a teen, it still took some effort to manage.
Knowing they'd be hiking through some dense forest soon, Hermione put on thick jeans, black combat boots, and a plain red T-shirt. She also prepared a small backpack with an extension spell, throwing in some snacks and water for the trip. She included a pack of muggle tools and a magical tent she had gotten from Gabby a few years ago. Even though she was able to create one herself, Gabby had been so pleased in giving her the one she carried now, that Hermione just graciously accepted it. She never knew when she would need to go out into the wild for a job after all, so it was very handy.
When she came down the stairs she heard a conversation coming from the kitchen, quietly padded over and paused against the doorframe. Peeking into the room, she saw that Sybelle was leaning against the kitchen counter, with a cup of tea in her hands, as she conversed with Lira, who was doing all the cooking while talking to her mother-in-law. Gabby and Fleur were laughing while hunched over a newspaper at the kitchen table. Fleur had a pen in her hand which made Hermione assume that they were solving a crossword puzzle, a habit that Hermione saw Gabby develop as time went on. Apolline was crouched on the floor fixing the collar of Galan's outfit, who was wearing a new short-sleeved shirt.
"Could I have the sudoku puzzle page?" Hermione asked, approaching the table with a smile. The five women looked up in surprise at the sudden appearance of the brunette.
"Good morning mademoiselle Granger!" The house elf spoke in a lively, high-pitched tone.
"Good morning Galan, you look very handsome in your new shirt," She replied sweetly, and the elf blushed.
"Thank you!" He stammered. "Galan's wife gave it to Galan this morning as a birthday gift!" He told her proudly.
"Oh, I didn't know it was your birthday. May I give you a hug?" Hermione offered gently, and the elf jumped towards her excitedly, hugging the woman around the waist. Hermione returned the embrace and smiled widely. "Here, allow me."
The brunette pulled out her wand, cast Accio, and a wristwatch flew to her hand. Hermione then knelt and presented the watch to the elf. "Happy Birthday! This watch is very similar to what I've been fixing in the village. With just a small drop of blood from each family member, you'll see an image for each person on the watch's face. Their pictures will follow a corresponding arm, so you'll always know how everyone is doing." The elf had tears in his eyes. He started to cry and hugged Hermione tightly by the neck. The brunette just returned the hug again. Galan quickly uttered several thanks, and with a smile Hermione helped the elf place the watch on his wrist.
"Galan would like to place Madame Delacour's family on his new watch, if allowed! And Miss Hermione too!" He requested enthusiastically, looking at Sybelle. The Veela Elder nodded, and he dashed to each lady present in the kitchen. He carefully made a tiny puncture on the side of one finger, allowing a small drop of blood to hit the watch's face. The image and clock arms materialized for each Delacour, and he returned to Hermione, looking at her expectantly.
"Are you sure you want to add me too?" She asked hesitantly, and the elf just nodded emphatically, so Hermione let him take a drop of her blood as well.
"Galan is very grateful for this special gift, mademoiselle Hermione! Now Galan will show the rest of his family!" He announced excitedly, and vanished with a pop. Hermione stood grinning in her spot for another moment; as always it was gratifying to see people so pleased with her creations.
"That was a very beautiful gesture, Hermione," Lira said, in a voice slightly choked with emotion.
"Oh, I just wanted to make this day a little more special for him," She responded casually, and shrugged.
"I'm sure he found it an incredible and memorable gift, ma belle," Gabby assured her, smiling softly at Hermione.
"That was a really kind thing to do, Hermione," Fleur added, and Hermione blushed slightly. She cleared her throat, feeling a little awkward.
"So, could I have the sudoku puzzle please?" Hermione asked again, with warm cheeks. Gabby handed her the newspaper page and a pen. Apolline placed a cup of coffee in front of Hermione, which she accepted gratefully.
"I am happy to see that you're adapting to our home quite well," Sybelle smiled with satisfaction. She was finding herself really growing fond of Hermione.
"It is wonderful here, not only the place itself, but mainly the people," Hermione said, and glanced at Fleur. "I feel welcome and you are all very warm and caring. I never had an especially affectionate home, my parents were English after all," Hermione remarked, half-joking. "I do tend to miss them in these moments," She revealed shyly, and looked up when Fleur grabbed her hand.
"What happened to them?" Lira asked, before anyone could stop her.
"I had to obliviate their memories during the war in order to protect them, and sent them to Australia. But I haven't seen them since. The Australian Ministry and I turned the continent upside down searching, but I never found them again. They were judged officially dead, a few months later," Hermione sighed, and felt herself tensing when she suddenly felt arms hugging her from behind. Apolline had pulled her against her and squeezed.
"It's never easy to lose a parent, Hermione. I was young when my mother died in the war, I know how it feels," Sybelle felt her heart sink at Apolline's words, and a small tear escaped her eyes.
"Veela mate for life, right?" Hermione asked, when Apolline moved to sit next to her at the table.
"Yes, we mate for life. Generally, a Veela has several matches, and those who find their soulmate are rare, but when we exchange mating marks, the union is for life."
"When a Veela loses a partner to death, she usually remains alone for the rest of her life. The only exception is when the lost partner is not your soulmate, and you find your soulmate after the loss. Only then can you mate and bind yourself again," Gabby explained, elaborating on Apolline's answer.
"Your wife was your soulmate, wasn't she?" Hermione asked Sybelle.
"Ana was everything." There was an abrupt, heavy silence in the room. "But she gave me the greatest gifts; my Apolline and my Theresa." Apolline smiled at her mother.
After breakfast, Fleur and Hermione decided it was time to visit Limousin. Hermione felt anxious, though in a good way, and looked forward to spending time with Fleur after their brief period of friction had been eased. She was pleased to see that in spite of everything, Fleur was still amiable, even though Hermione thought she didn't deserve the Veela's kind attention, not after the immature and stupid attitude she displayed. She also acknowledged that she was often her own worst enemy.
Hermione had her backpack on, and was waiting for Fleur at the front door of the Delacour mansion. She saw a beautiful woman with midnight black hair, green eyes, and pale skin approaching her with a smile. She returned the smile cautiously, and was reminded of Gabby's warning about minimizing friendly contact with Veela in the settlement.
"Hermione Granger, yes?" Even with just a few words, the young witch identified the foreign accent, and concluded that this woman must be from the Belgian clan. In answer to the question, she simply nodded politely. "I'm Lucien. I've been looking for a chance to speak to you alone," The woman explained, blushing slightly.
Hermione gathered that this woman was interested in her. In a standard situation, where the woman in front of her was not a semi-human, magical being with an intense ability to bind emotionally to another person, Hermione would have responded favorably. Lucien was clearly beautiful, and in any other case, the young witch would welcome such advances. Alas, unfortunately for her, Hermione had to tread carefully, lest she be inadvertently rude.
"Hello Lucien, how can I help you?" Hermione replied neutrally, hoping she could minimize any behavior or response that could be misinterpreted. She saw the woman's face fall slightly, and for a second felt bad. "Well, now you've managed to find me alone," Hermione cleared her throat, realized what she just said, and resisted the urge to blush. She failed, and scolded herself internally while she waited for Lucien to tell her what she wanted.
"I was wondering if you might like to do something together. I know you're here to resolve our issue with the clock, but I thought perhaps I could show you around our lovely town when you took a break from work," Lucien inquired, feeling renewed hope at seeing Hermione's reddened cheeks.
"Unfortunately, Hermione already has several engagements scheduled with me, Miss Maes." Fleur's voice interrupted sharply, coming from behind Hermione. The brunette felt Fleur's hand come to rest on her shoulder, as the taller woman exited the manor to stand beside her. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have a date right now," Fleur told her brusquely. Lucien went pale, and in a stammer, excused herself as she scurried away from the other two women, abashed.
"Thanks for that, I wasn't sure yet how I could decline her invitation without being rude," Hermione said sheepishly, still looking a bit flushed. Fleur was still staring in the direction Lucien had escaped to, and turned her attention back to Hermione. For a brief moment, Hermione didn't recognize the emotion in her vivid blue eyes. But it vanished rapidly when the blonde smiled at her.
Fleur offered her hand to Hermione, who accepted it immediately, and the two apparated to the forest. They moved into the magical part of the park, quietly, and with a steady pace they began their hunt for the necessary oak wood. They spoke a little here and there, but both were also comfortable with the silence, until a random thought occurred to Hermione.
"I haven't seen a single man in the Veela settlement thus far," She said suddenly. They had paused for a lunch break, and Fleur was stacking some wood to start a fire, when she turned back to Hermione in surprise.
"Ah, well, you won't be seeing any. Veela don't mate with men," She answered hesitantly. And as if anticipating Hermione's next question, she quickly continued, "I'd married Bill, because in my head I thought I could bypass tradition, and he was a good man. He was kind and the marriage was...fine, but I eventually realized he was not enough. When we concluded that we were happier as best friends who shared a bed sporadically, we decided to get a divorce. The magical media turned the process into a circus, even though things were perfectly amiable between us. Extravagant lies and outlandish stories were invented about him cheating on me. 'William Weasley cheats on Princess Delacour,' that's how they headlined it. All of the chatter was bullshit, Bill would never have committed adultery. It was just easier to let the gossip magazines announce that he was guilty of that, than the truth." Fleur rolled her eyes angrily.
"We decided then that he would keep the cottage in England, and I would leave, since the house had been Molly's gift. I spent almost a year reconnecting with my Veela, since she was as angry as my grandmother about the decision to marry someone who was not even a suitable match, and, on top of that, a man."
"But you had felt attraction for Bill?" Hermione asked, hoping she wasn't prying too much.
"I love him as a friend, but I never should have gone as far as marrying him. I didn't love him romantically, nor was I really attracted to him physically." Fleur revealed, without looking at Hermione. "Veela are sexual creatures, Hermione. Bill was handsome and gentle, and I felt maybe the slightest physical attraction to him..." Fleur blushed as she trailed off, letting out a huff and looking at the forest floor. "But I have never truly felt attracted to any man, as is the case for all veela."
"Did you, or do you still feel that you have been forced into a sexuality from a homonormative society?" Hermione approached slowly and sat down next to Fleur.
"I felt obliged by tradition to find a person, a woman. But today, years later, I don't see it as a mission or an obligation. I see my mothers, and they are so, so happy, and I feel jealous. I want something like that, and it made me give up on forcing myself to be with Bill. He could never give me that feeling of happiness that I would have, if he had accepted me as I am."
Hermione stayed quiet to think for a moment. The Veela relationships she observed in the past few days were beautiful. More beautiful than she was used to seeing. Veela were affectionate, charitable and kind. She also noted a certain tendency for the relationships to possess a slightly dominant-submissive character, but that did not seem to affect the situation negatively. Both sides contributed something that she admired a lot, in all her entire adult romantic life she only had two partners who were capable of that great capacity for communication and even those relationships were nothing like the Veela's she saw.
"I would like to ask a question," Hermione said after some time gathering her thoughts. Fleur just nodded, curious. "If Veela relationships are exclusively homosexual, how does the conception of children work? I saw several small girls of different ages around the village. I understand that there are spells and potions capable of providing a child for a homosexual couple, this is not something really new for me. How intrinsic is this in Veela society?"
"It is typical for Veela to experience a strong desire to have children. Veela are creatures that love their family above all. First comes the family, then the clan, and after that everything else. Both Veela can have children. But usually only one becomes pregnant, the other assumes a more protective role throughout the relationship. Many people interpret this as a dominant-submissive dynamic, but for us, we accept only our instincts and everything ends up falling into place."
"Was Lira the one who got pregnant, or Apolline? How does magic affect this?"
"It is a Veela spell, one is the person who gives and the other receives, slightly different from traditional spells and potions. It only happens when both want children and are ready to raise a child. Usually one of the two has a greater desire to carry a child, and it's this person who gets pregnant. Lira was pregnant with me and later Gabby. But the other part of us is still Apolline." Hermione was a little confused, but still nodded.
"So does that mean you don't have any Veela partnered couples who do not wish to have children?"
"There are, it is just more common for couples to want children. And of course, it happens within the natural course of a relationship, it is not instantaneous. Like ordinary couples, Veela-mates take their time in each step of their relationship. I have always wanted children. I loved spending time with the little ones in the Delacour family, and had often hoped that with the right person and with the right time, it would happen. It is not something that needs to be rushed either, even though we as Veela have that strong desire. We live long, and time is necessary for personal maturation after all," Fleur explained, smiling.
"I would like to have children one day." The Veela looked at Hermione intently. "I would like to give that child a better childhood than I had, and help them develop the confidence that I never had during my own. I had Harry and Ronald who dragged me on a lot of crazy adventures, which grew more and more dangerous until we faced Voldemort himself. I just want my child to experience growing-up normally with regular problems, and with parents who really understand them. Throughout my childhood I was treated differently, even before my magic was revealed. I don't want that to be the case when I'm a parent. Even though I think my own parents did a great job, I want to do something different."
"My grandmother once said that we should always strive to be better parents than our own, and that makes us raise better children who will form a better world. Your future partner will be very lucky, Hermione."
A comfortable silence settled between the two. Lunch passed with casual conversation, especially in light of the new information regarding Hermione's expulsion from the Weasley family.
"So do you have any idea where we can find the oaks?" Fleur asked curiously, looking around at the vast array of trees around them.
"I honestly don't know, I'm just letting the forest guide me." Hermione shrugged and took a deep breath. "Let's try to make magical contact." Fleur looked even more intrigued, having a rough idea of what the brunette was going to do, but not sure if the depth of magic necessary would be achieved by the younger woman.
Hermione took another deep breath, closed her eyes, and let her magic flow through her body. She felt it drain from her body like steam, and she sensed the forest's magic reach out to her in a timid touch. After a moment, it embraced Hermione's and gave her a path to follow.
Fleur watched with astonishment. She had seen rituals of connection with nature before, and had already witnessed Veela magic connect and touch nature magic. But it was the first time she had seen a witch, and muggleborn at that, managing to express her magic to the point that it became visible to Fleur. Hermione's magic was in a warm shade of lilac. Soft, natural magic in its purest state was tied to Hermione's right front of Fleur's eyes. When the brunette opened her eyes, Fleur caught a glimpse of the purest natural form of magic manifested. Perhaps Hermione was unaware of how rare the skill she was demonstrating was. Fleur made a mental note to discuss the matter with her grandmother as soon as they returned to the village.
"Well, that was a success." Hermione beamed, and pointed south. "We must go there, I think we will find what we are looking for." Fleur did not even consider arguing against or even starting a conversation about the phenomenon she observed at that moment. She simply nodded, trying to put her thoughts in order. Hermione noticed that the woman next to her was disturbed for some reason, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up.
The act of linking her magic to another was one of the first things Morgan insisted that she learn. Learning how to gently project your magic in order to touch another was an important step for a magical architect, even if it took years to perfect. Hermione, of course, had always been a perfectionist, and it was no surprise to Morgan when the young woman mastered the art in a very short time.
Silence washed over them again. This time Hermione felt more uneasy about it, certain that it was her fault that Fleur was so quiet. When she opened her mouth to question the matter, a gasp from the blonde made her look up from the floor and look at the woman. Fleur's jaw had dropped as she stared straight ahead.
Hermone snapped her head to see what had Fleur so startled, and understood the surprise when a gasp came out of her own mouth. They were standing in front of a giant tree. So big that Hermione wondered how they hadn't seen the tree from a distance.
The huge tree was more than 220 feet high, and Hermione estimated the width of the trunk to be almost 60 feet. Just one large branch of the tree would be enough to complete all the repairs that Hermione needed.
She was delighted. The massive branches started 9 feet from the ground and extended from the trunk in various positions. With at least 2 feet in diameter, the branches were robust. The bark of the tree was a dark brown color, with white veins running across the tree. The leaves were dark green and had several light brown chestnuts scattered over all the branches. It was laden with fruit, alive and bright. So beautiful, that for a second Hermione forgot why she was there.
She snapped out of her reverie, and remembered their reason for being there. In a few determined steps she approached the giant tree. Hermione allowed herself to fall forward on her knees, and with an arm outstretched she spread her palm on the tree trunk.
"I've never done this before, but some say I'm good with words," She whispered to the tree. "I would like to ask for something I know is a big request. My name is Hermione Granger. And I make magical artifacts, artifacts in which I use great amounts of natural magic to create wonderful items. You must have felt our approach from far away, and I imagine you can feel that we want no harm to come to you or the forest. I ask with the greatest respect that a mere human can possess, for you to donate one of your branches. I am trying to fix an old Veela relic, and I know that nature and the Veela go hand in hand, so I would hope you understand the importance this relic holds for them. "
Hermione took a deep breath and leaned over, her forehead touching the big tree. A few feet behind her, Fleur was standing, watching the exchange carefully. She couldn't hear what Hermione was saying, but she could feel the change in the atmosphere around them, how nature was reacting to whatever the brunette was articulating.
A great crashing sound echoed through the forest, making the two women jump and look around for the source of the sound. About 16 feet away, there lay a large branch of the tree. Hermione felt her eyes fill with tears.
"Thank you!" She exclaimed, with heartfelt gratitude, and approached the big branch. With a shrinking spell, she altered it enough to place it in her suitcase.