Fleur was surprised by the mixed reactions she was getting in the aftermath of her revealing her Veela form. It was the full spectrum from curious to impressed to completely disgusted.
A small handful looked at her with awe because she beat the Horntail singlehandedly. She appreciated that they recognized just how powerful she was because it truly was a noteworthy feat.
Some people would walk right up to her and start asking her prying and invasive questions about her Veela heritage. All of which she refused to answer.
Others looked at her like they might regard an animal at the zoo, their hands pressed up against the window as they observed. They would watch with curiosity from afar as if trying to gauge how dangerous she was to be around. She didn't mind this, at least they gave her a healthy passing distance.
The rest looked at her like she was more disgusting than the dirt beneath their shoe. No surprise who was leading the charge on that one. Unsurprising, once the little ferret wrote home, there was a loud outcry for her to be removed from the Tournament. Bagman handled the situation with surprising grace, stating that the Goblet chose her as a legitimate Champion, even with her Veela blood. As long as she didn't use it to her advantage in the tasks, she would not be penalized.
Fleur just ignored it all, holding her head up high when she wandered the grounds, refusing to hide or be ashamed of her heritage. There was nothing else she could really do, hundreds of people saw it, so there was no point in trying to deny it.
Aside from the extra gawking and whispers, Fleur was satisfied with how things had played out in the Tournament. She was in 1st place with a two point lead over Harry. Apparently the judges were impressed by her spellwork she had cast pre-Veela barbeque. However, they made it clear that anything that happened after she retrieved the egg was not considered part of the tournament and therefore was not to be taken into account in the judging process.
Krum had the lowest score due to penalties he incurred because he caused damage to the nest and several of the real eggs were destroyed in the process.
Now that the First Task was complete, she had significantly more free time. As a reward for her performance, the remaining week of her detention was cleared. Maxime had also determined that she had earned a break from her hardcore training, provided that she continued to try to 'solve the egg' puzzle. She had confirmed the night after the First Task that the key to the egg was still water and the clue was the same as before. The Black Lake, one hour, one treasure. So now she had nothing pressing to deal with other than keep up with her homework, which was all fine and well for her. It allowed her the opportunity to spend more time with a certain witch.
Fleur spent practically every evening in the library with Hermione, just reading quietly with the bookworm in companionable silence. She didn't mind, she was an avid reader herself and the Hogwarts Library had lots of books she had not read before. And it was peaceful. The stern librarian always stopped her gaggle of followers at the door. After a week the boys learned it was a lost cause to try to follow her inside, so the library became her safe haven. A temporary sanctuary. She found peace tucked between dusty shelves and enveloped in the smell of old parchment. Hermione had shown her the best places to hide away from prying eyes.
She didn't know why, but she loved watching the young Gryffindor study, pouring over the books. There was something endearing about Hermione in the library, she looked comfortable and in her element with her hands stained with ink and nose deep in a book.
It seemed that the girl was intent to absorb as much information as possible, regardless of topic. One day she would be reading about Cornish Pixies and the next day she would be nose deep in theories of ancient Mayan wards. Fleur could tell when Hermione was particularly excited about a certain topic. There seemed to be a correlation between her hair's level of unruliness and her interest level.
Whatever she was reading tonight was a doozy. Hermione was feverishly studying the text, her nose practically touching the pages of the giant tome she was reading. She was clearly fully invested, her hair was sticking out more than usual and she could have sworn she saw an occasional spark of energy discharging from the tips of Hermione's hair.
Fleur giggled to herself and turned back to her own story. She was reading a book of Muggle poetry, but it was unlike any poetry she had ever read before.
"Zis Poe fellow… was 'e right in ze 'ead? Eet ees very dark, non?" She closed the book when she had finished.
Hermione didn't miss a beat, even though she didn't look up from her text "Hmm? Poe? Well, he had a troubled life."
"I see…" Fleur nodded and kept watching Hermione as sparks flew, quite literally.
After a moment, Hermione looked up, sensing Fleur's intense gaze "What? Is something wrong? Did I get ink on my chin again?"
"Non, you look perfect." Fleur grinned and set down her book, holding Hermione's soft chocolate gaze with her own.
Hermione blushed "Oh… thank you… so what is it? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"I was just observing zat you are wise beyond your years, 'ermiome. I can see eet een your eyes. Eet surprises me."
"Well that's rather obvious, don't you think? I'm taking 7th year classes."
"Non, zat ees not what I mean. Wisdom and book smarts are very different. You are bozz..."
"Now I know you are teasing me. No one calls me wise."
"You wound my 'onor, Mademoiselle. Claiming zat I would stoop so low as to tease you! Ze nerve. I would do no such zing! I am merely stating a true point." Fleur smirked playfully.
"Uh huh, not teasing at all."
"Maybe just a little. I am 'ungry, would you like to join me for dinner or stay 'ere?"
Hermione sat up and stretched her arms over her head, arching her back a bit. "Mm, that sounds lovely. I think I could use a break."
"What were you reading about? You seemed very invested. Your 'air was crackling." Fleur gestured with her hands, mimicking the sparks.
"Oh nothing special. Just looking at ancient languages. A bit of light reading." Hermione blushed, ignoring Fleur's quip about 'light reading' as she shoved the book into her bag. "I will finish it later tonight."
"Bon." Fleur smiled and put away her books and parchment in her bag and followed Hermione out of the library.
Once in the 'talking safe zone,' Fleur turned to Hermione. "I want to zank you."
Hermione blinked "Thank me? For what?"
"For being my friend. You don't treat me differently because of my Veela blood. And I enjoy your company. Eet ees nice to 'ave someone to talk wizz. I 'ave Evangeline of course and Gabrielle… but…" Fleur trailed off.
Hermione smiled sadly. She remembered that Fleur had told her she was so lonely in school, always second guessing people's motives. Either under the influence of her thrall or trying to garner favor with the Delacour clan through her. She put her hand on the Champion's shoulder and gave her a reassuring squeeze.
"I get it. Well, not entirely, our situations are very different. Most people just think of me as a know-it-all or Harry Potter's friend or a ticket to getting their homework done when they procrastinate. I really only have Harry, Ginny, and Ron." Hermione left out Luna, they wouldn't become good friends until next year.
"Ah, oui. Ron Weasley… ze aubergine... ermm, eggplant, non?"
Hermione chuckled. She couldn't argue Ron's resemblance to the vegetable when he was in Fleur's presence. "Don't be cruel. He is not good around women. He does not know how to behave."
"But you do not be'ave zat way. Does zat mean that you are good wizz women zen?" Fleur smirked.
"Yes I am." Hermione spoke without thinking. Her eyes shot wide and she opened and closed her mouth a few times, searching for words. "I... I mean, I am a woman. So of course I am comfortable..." She quickly covered.
Fleur laughed softly, her giggle sounded like soft wind chimes in the breeze. "You are very funny, 'Ermione Granger."
The two witches continued to make their way to the Great Hall tossing playful banter back and forth as they walked together. As they approached the Hall, their path was blocked by a swarm of students gathered around a poster. Everyone was chattering excitedly.
"Hmm, I wonder what is going on up there." Hermione mused. It became clear in a matter of seconds.
A fifth year Ravenclaw boy approached Fleur. He looked nervous, wringing his hands behind his back. "Would you accompany me to the Yule Ball?"
Fleur raised her eyebrow. "Zank you for asking but non."
The boy blinked, "I'm not sure I heard you correctly."
"Zen I will repeat myself. I said zank you but non. Bonne chance and please let us pass."
The boy didn't move, so Fleur swept around him with a huff. She didn't realize it but at some point in time she had taken hold of Hermione's hand as she made her escape down the hallway. She was muttering angrily under her breath.
"What's that? Did you say something?" Hermione was practically running to keep up. She was surprised when Fleur grabbed her hand but she wasn't going to pull away.
"I said I had forgotten about zis damn Ball."
"How did you know? That poster just went up."
Fleur was cursing herself at her slip up but she didn't miss a beat "we were told zere would be a Ball before we came. Zat way we could pack an outfit."
"Ah, that makes sense."
Fleur was glad that Hermione seemed satisfied by her response and didn't ask any further questions. In the short time it took them to get to dinner, she had received 5 new invitations. Hermione received two, which she also politely declined. So much for peace and quiet, it was fun while it lasted.
A few days after the announcement of the Yule Ball, Fleur and Evangeline were chatting in her room, their homework long forgotten.
«Soooooo… Are you going to ask her?» Evangeline flopped down on the giant bed, stretching out and getting comfortable.
«Ask who?»
«Don't play dumb, Fleur. It's not a becoming look for the Delacour heiress.»
Fleur raised an eyebrow, challenging her friend. «I… I don't know if she is even interested in me like that.»
«Oh, so you're not dumb. You're an idiot!»
«Excuse me?» Fleur rolled over on her side to glare at her friend, her head propped up on her fist.
«That girl likes you. She stood by you the entire time you transitioned back. She was the one who brought you back. Not me. Not Gabrielle. You know what that means.»
« I don't want to be rejected.» Fleur said quietly.
«Well, no one wants to be rejected, but I think we both know what her answer will be.»
«I don't know, Eva…»
«You should make up your mind. You wouldn't want someone else to take your girl as a date, would you?» Evangeline grinned wickedly as a thought crossed her mind «Hey, wait… if you're not going to ask her, does that mean she's fair game? You wouldn't mind if I asked her then?»
Fleur hissed at the thought of someone else having their hands on her mate.
«See… that reaction tells me everything.»
«You forget your place, DesJardins. I am your alpha.»
«Yeah, you might be the alpha, but I'm the friend who has to remind my idiotic alpha that she has a pair. Because she seems to have forgotten about them and is acting like a scared little chick.»
Fleur opened her mouth to retort but her friend did make a point.
«Just Veela up and ask her already! Stop dragging your feet like a lovesick idiot. Please, for my sake. It's getting painful to watch you two idiots.»
Fleur simply grabbed her pillow and started smacking her friend wherever she could reach. Maybe Evangeline was right…
Hermione was annoyed that Fleur had started isolating herself again to try to get a break from the constant stream of invitations to the Yule Ball. But at the same time she couldn't really hold it against her. Fleur was barely able to walk between classes without someone new approaching her. But she missed seeing the blonde witch that she had grown rather fond of. This version of Fleur reminded her very much of the one she remembered from before she went on the Horcrux hunt. Maybe this time around they would become friends sooner and she might be able to spend more time with her.
News of the Yule Ball had whipped the students into a frenzy. It was all anyone was talking about. Hermione had decided that she was not going to go this time and had turned down a surprising number of invitations. There was only one invitation she would accept, anyway. But the invitation never came and Fleur avoided talking about the Ball. She wouldn't deny that she felt a little disappointed.
She was walking down the corridor one afternoon on her way to Ancient Runes class. As she approached the room, she heard a familiar voice coming from inside the classroom, the door was ajar. She paused and listened from the doorway. She could hear Fleur talking, though she couldn't hear anyone else in the room. Fleur sounded distressed.
"God, I am such a coward. Why can't I just pluck up the courage to ask her? I mean, I faced down a Hungarian Horntail for fuck's sake. Why is this so difficult?" Fleur's voice trailed off and Hermione couldn't make out any words beyond what she had just heard. She wondered if she should interrupt or just let the blonde have her moment of panic.
"Fleur? Are you okay?"
Fleur's head whipped around, glaring in the direction of intrusion at the door. Her gaze instantly softened when she saw Hermione standing there. "Bonjour 'Ermione."
Hermione slowly slipped into the room and closed the door behind her, "What happened to your accent?"
Fleur paused, her lips pursed, eyes darting back and forth as if she was trying to decide what to say. "Fine… you caught me. I don't really have an accent. It was just an act."
Hermione furrowed her brow and gestured to the empty seat next to where Fleur was pacing about.
Neither said anything for several long minutes. Fleur watched her out of the corner of her eye. The brunette was worrying at her lip as if mulling over something in her mind.
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you pretend to have an accent?"
Fleur shrugged as if it was obvious. "It's easier for me this way. People see me and assume I am just a pretty face, which I mean, they're not wrong, I am rather good looking… but I'm more than that. So much more. But I allow others to underestimate me. I have found that it makes it that much easier to exceed expectations and gets me further along in the end. I know from experience that people get intimidated if I come on too strong and are unwilling to listen or work with me. It's counterintuitive but it works."
Hermione nodded thoughtfully before speaking again. "That's… really sad." She dropped her gaze to her hands, which she had folded in her lap. "I didn't realize the lengths you have to go to uphold some silly image for the comfort of others. It must be hard for you."
"I got used to it. Contrary to what people think, I have rather thick skin. I am not a porcelain doll, I will not easily break. But don't tell anyone. I have an image to uphold after all." Fleur's eyes darted to the side, drawing attention to the fact that other students were starting to trickle in. She leaned in and whispered into Hermione's ear. "But I'm glad I do not have to hide around you anymore. I want you to see me for who I really am. I hated lying to you."
Hermione shivered as Fleur's breath tickled her ear "Right… err… well, your secret is safe with me."
"Zank you, 'Ermione."
Hermione's heart broke a little when she heard Fleur slip so easily into her facade.
After a week of listening to Harry complain about Ron's constant bitching about how he couldn't get a date, Hermione had finally had enough.
They were walking together through the halls on their way to dinner one evening, Harry was once again spiraling as he stressed about getting a date to the Ball and Hermione put her foot down. Literally. She stomped her foot hard to get her friend's attention. "You boys are so stupid! Stop acting as if girls have dragon pox or something and just go for it. It's easy!"
Harry looked at her, his green eyes flashing defiantly "For the record, I tried! I asked Cho, don't you remember? It was horrible."
Hermione rolled her eyes and started walking again "It's not horrible… You just walk up to someone you fancy and say 'would you like to go to the Ball with me?'
"Oui, I would love zat."
Hermione stopped dead in her tracks, she hadn't realized they had walked so close to a gaggle of Beauxbatons girls.
Hermione blinked when she saw Fleur staring intently at her. "Pardon?"
"You just asked me to ze Ball, non?" Fleur's eyes were twinkling brightly.
Hermione blushed and stuttered "oh, uh... I was just telling Harry how to ask out a girl to the Ball..."
"So eet was not on purpose? You do not want to go to ze Ball wizz me?"
"No! I mean... yes! I mean…"
"Perfect, eet ees a date zen." Fleur grinned and planted two kisses on Hermione's flushed skin, one on either cheek. With a wink she pulled away "and zat, Monsieur Potter, ees 'ow eet ees done."
Hermione stood still, completely flabbergasted, watching with wide eyes as the alluring blonde spun on her heel and strutted away, noting the extra pep in her step. Oh Merlin, what had she just done? She couldn't retract her invitation! All of Fleur's classmates had heard, as had Harry. And truthfully she didn't want to retract the invitation, she was worried about how people would react to two witches going to the Ball together. The wizarding world wasn't exactly open to same-sex couples.
"Blimey, Hermione!" Harry sputtered. "You're going to the Yule Ball with Fleur Delacour! I didn't know you even were interested in her!"
"I'm not interested in her like that. We are going as friends!" Hermione hedged
Harry's eyes twinkled "Not the way I saw it, and from the looks of it, Fleur didn't think it was just 'friends' either… Ron is going to shit his pants..."
"Oh God... Ron…" Hermione groaned, remembering how the redhead had reacted to her date with Viktor in the previous timeline. "Please don't tell him. Let me break the news, okay?"
"Sure, whatever you say, Hermione. So… were you ever going to tell me you've been hanging out with Fleur behind our backs?"
Hermione sputtered "I… how did you know?"
"You're not as sneaky as you think you are…" Harry moved his cloak, revealing the Marauder's Map in his inner pocket.
"Harry James Potter! Have you been spying!?" Hermione started bombarding him with smacks on his shoulder.
Harry just grinned and took off running down the hall to avoid getting hit again.
"She is strong, My Lord. I saw it with my own eyes."
"Good… bring her to me."
"Of course, My Lord… I will not fail you."