A/N: Hey guys, thanks for all the reviews! I must say, reviews are the one thing that keep me updating. That and lockdown -_-
Hermione stretched, getting changed into boxers and a singlet for bed.
Fleur was in the bathroom, carrying out a lengthy beauty routine.
Hermione had showered and brushed her teeth within fifteen minutes before heading into the bedroom to get dressed.
Fleur had taken a half hour shower approximately an hour ago. Hermione rolled her eyes. The woman was high maintenance. Surely it didn't matter how much she moisturised when her Veela blood assured she would look gorgeous.
Hermione clambered into bed. She already felt extremely relaxed.
She thought about what Alexandre said. It did get her hopes up a little, and made her feel a bit braver with the blonde.
The door of the bathroom finally opened and Fleur entered, nude again and entirely unbothered. She turned off the lights and glided elegantly to bed, climbing in as if it were her usual routine to share her bed with Hermione already.
Hermione, braver still in the darkness, grabbed Fleur firmly and pulled her in to cuddle. Fleur made a little noise of surprise.
"You are bold this evening," Fleur commented, "I like it, it reminds me of how you were the evening I stayed over at Grimmauld Place."
Hermione felt a twinge of arousal at that. She held Fleur tightly. Fleur let out a noise of content, snuggling in to her sleepily.
Hermione smiled, falling asleep easily.
She awoke in the late morning the next morning. She felt energised and incredibly rested. She was sure she had never felt as rested before in her life.
Fleur got up and stretched, before proceeding to the ensuite without prompting. Hermione grinned, getting up and getting changed. It was nice that Fleur was warming to her a little. Or at least not annoyed by her.
Hermione pulled on a tee, jeans and jumper. Fleur soon returned, dressed in a casual dress and a cosy oversized cardigan.
They headed downstairs, Fleur immediately drifting in to the dining room to seek out some breakfast. Hermione dallied, watching Fleur from the hallway.
"Conflicted?"
Hermione jumped. She hadn't noticed the temperature rising in the air. But a warmth had definitely fallen over her. Cassandra stood nearby, watching Hermione with an amused smile.
"Er, just thinking about Fleur," Hermione admitted awkwardly.
Cassandra drew closer to her, ushering her to walk with her. Hermione walked further down the hallway with the Veela.
"You can tell me," Cassandra said in her strange hypnotic voice, "I won't tell anyone else."
It was strange, but Hermione believed her. She found herself oddly at ease with the beautiful creature.
"I… Uh… Sometimes it seems like she is warming to me, sometimes I feel like I'm pushing her away," Hermione admitted, "I can't tell what it is that I do that makes her warm to me."
Cassandra smiled slyly, her eyes briefly shimmering silvery.
"You mean… You can't figure out why she slept with you the first time and hasn't shown much interest since?" Cassandra asked, causing Hermione to blush.
"I… Er…" Hermione mumbled awkwardly.
Cassandra chuckled, cocking her head to one side pityingly.
"Poor human," Cassandra cooed, "Think about your manner… What is different to the first time?"
"I-I don't know," Hermione blushed deeper, averting her eyes.
"This," Cassandra hissed, stepping closer to Hermione. She almost had the brunette pinned to the wall.
"Er-um, w-what?" Hermione stammered, biting her lip and looking up at the Veela.
Cassandra smiled coyly.
"Veela are predators," Cassandra said in a low and silky voice. She lifted her hand and stroked her fingers down Hermione's cheek.
"I-I know that," Hermione said in an unsteady voice. Cassandra smiled wider, baring her perfect white teeth.
"Do you?" Cassandra smirked, "Because right now you seem more like prey than a potential mate."
In an instant her talons extended from her fingers, poising themselves against the soft flesh of Hermione's throat. Cassandra's eyes turned silver.
Hermione gasped, her breath catching in her throat.
"Uh, if I did something to upset you… I'm sorry…" Hermione uttered nervously. She wasn't sure what was going on with Cassandra but the razor sharp talons at her throat were enough to terrify her.
Cassandra's smile widened even further.
"If you're bold and brave, you seduce a Veela," Cassandra murmured, her voice harsh and scratchy, "If you're timid… You're nothing but another poor, bumbling fly stuck in our web. That does nothing for a Veela's interest."
Cassandra sighed heavily, shutting her eyes as she retracted her talons. When her eyes opened again, her eyes were back to being blue and silver flecked.
"I… I don't think Fleur thinks like that," Hermione said, although she was a little unsure.
"Fleur is a quarter Veela and often wilfully ignorant of it," Cassandra shrugged, "I am simply explaining the Veela instincts to you. Think on it."
Cassandra flipped her long sheet of silvery hair, gliding lightly down the hallway and out of sight without another word.
Hermione frowned, furrowing her brow. Such a strange encounter.
'I'm a Gryffindor, I am bold and brave,' Hermione thought to herself defensively.
She turned slowly back towards the direction of the dining room, thinking it over. She did get flustered a lot around Fleur. Embarrassed and awkward too.
She slowly stepped down the hallway, deep in thought. She remembered what Fleur had said the previous night as she had pulled her roughly into a cuddle. She had explicitly said that Hermione was acting bold and she liked it.
Hermione felt like an idiot.
She walked into the dining room, sitting down beside Fleur.
'Act bold, act bold…' Hermione thought to herself, '… How do you act bold?'
She grew sceptical again as she collected some food from the middle of the table. Her friends constantly told her that she was bossy. When had she become so timid?
She glanced sideways at Fleur.
The blonde didn't seem so intimidating at the moment. She was happily chomping down on some toast, looking pretty and relaxed.
"Sleeping with your woman agrees with you," Apolline commented with a smile.
It was just Apolline, Alexandre, Fleur and Hermione at the breakfast table. Samuel and Victoire had got up early and headed off with their kids. Cassandra was keeping to herself, roaming the mansion and the grounds. Hermione thought it was a little rude, but from what she could gather from the others, it seemed entirely normal. Cassandra came and went from the Delacour mansion as she pleased, interacting when she felt like it and roaming around alone when she didn't. It reminded Hermione amusingly of a cat.
Fleur didn't reply to her mother. Alexandre smiled encouragingly at Hermione.
"I was thinking… We will probably have to continue sharing a bed when we return to the UK," Hermione said cautiously.
Fleur's face remained relaxed and she nodded simply.
"Oui," Fleur replied, taking another bite out of her toast.
Apolline clapped her hands together excitedly.
"Finally," Apolline beamed, "This is how it should be."
"Calm down, Maman," Fleur said testily.
"Do you have a preference for your place or mine?" Hermione asked, "Personally, I think you should stay at Grimmauld Place- there would be a lot more space."
"Sure," Fleur shrugged.
"Okay, okay… Great," Hermione smiled slightly. Fleur's temper seemed far more settled now she was getting rest each night. Alexandre shot her another encouraging look.
Hermione smiled wider as she looked down at her food. Of course, being more direct with Fleur wasn't the hardest part. Hermione knew what really made her self-conscious and timid.
Her eyes glanced down at the sleeve of her jumper. It covered her scarred arm, where the word 'MUDBLOOD' was crudely carved.
Hermione arrived back at Grimmauld Place that afternoon. She informed a wide eyed Harry and Ron that Fleur would be staying over each night.
"Bloody hell," Ron gasped, his mouth wide open, "How did you pull that one off, 'Mione?"
"It's a Veela thing," Hermione replied with exasperation, "It's the only way she can rest. She needs rest for the baby."
"Okay," Ron replied, raising his eyebrows. He looked unconvinced.
"We have Sunday Night Dinner tonight, 'Mione," Harry reminded, "Will she be coming to that?"
"Erm, I suppose so," Hermione replied, "She did say she would come around here just before dinner."
"Bringing your missus to Sunday Night Dinner," Ron teased, wiggling his eyebrows.
Hermione shoved him playfully.
"Shut up," Hermione mumbed.
There was a knock at the door and Hermione remembered she had invited Amelie to hang out with her. She ignored Ron's wiggling eyebrows as she went to the door and opened it.
"Hey, Golden Girl," Amelie beamed.
"Is this another girlfriend? Hermione, you stud!" Ron bellowed out teasingly, before erupting into giggles.
"Shut up, Ron!" Hermione shouted, blushing.
"Is this a bad time?" Amelie giggled, smiling at the brunette.
"No, ignore him—he's an idiot," Hermione replied as Ron made a noise of outrage in the background, "Let's catch up in my room, yeah? Away from certain redheaded buffoons."
Amelie nodded, her grey eyes sparkling with amusement.
Up in Hermione's room, Hermione sighed heavily before pacing the room.
"You okay?" Amelie asked.
Hermione grimaced, looking at the pretty raven-haired girl helplessly.
"Am I… Am I timid?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.
"Only when it comes to women," Amelie replied, smiling reassuringly.
Hermione groaned, burying her face in her hands.
"Hey, what's going on?" Amelie asked, stepping forward, "Did something happen with the girl you like?"
Hermione raised her face from her hands.
"No, and that's the problem," Hermione grumbled, "How do I stop being timid with women?"
"You just seem a little self-conscious is all," Amelie shrugged, "It isn't a bad thing. It just meant that I took the lead the time we, you know."
Hermione blushed and Amelie giggled.
"Aww, I like how adorable you are when you get all flustered," Amelie cooed, cupping Hermione's face. Hermione frowned, trying her best to look intimidating.
"It isn't adorable," Hermione growled.
Amelie giggled more, but refrained from commenting more on the subject.
"How do I stop being self-conscious?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.
"I don't know," Amelie replied, "Maybe you are overthinking it? Just act on what you want instead of what you are afraid of happening."
"Easier said than done," Hermione replied flatly.
"Yeah, well how about doing instead of saying?" Amelie suggested, arching an eyebrow.
Hermione frowned briefly, before realising she was doing exactly what Amelie had said she shouldn't do—overthinking it.
She grabbed Amelie around the waist and pushed her against a nearby wall. She pressed her body tightly against Amelie's.
Amelie gasped, her pupils wide and her eyes firmly on Hermione's lips. Her chest was rising and falling heavily.
"Unh, Hermione…?" Amelie choked out in a strangled voice. Hermione sighed.
"It's easier when it isn't her," Hermione shook her head, releasing Amelie, "And easier when I'm not showing anything."
"What do you mean?" Amelie asked softly, "What don't you want to show?"
Hermione looked into Amelie's sympathetic eyes. She just couldn't tell the woman, no matter how nice and reassuring she was. She'd never even been able to voice her anxieties to Harry, Ron or Ginny.
The door burst open and Hermione took a step back from Amelie, looking to see who had entered her room so suddenly.
Fleur was standing in the doorway, looking at Amelie and Hermione intensely. A cacophony of emotions seemed to flicker across her face before she set it to its usual icy indifference.
"Je suis desolee, am I interrupting something?" Fleur asked neutrally.
"No," Hermione said quickly, taking another step back from Amelie.
"Hermione, are you sure you don't want to talk some more?" Amelie asked, looking at her with concern. Hermione shook her head, wrapping her arms around herself.
"No, no, it's fine," Hermione replied, "We can catch up another time."
"If you're sure…" Amelie said, unconvinced. She stepped forward and hugged Hermione briefly before exiting the room, nodding politely at Fleur on her way out.
"I assume that woman was the date you mentioned the other day?" Fleur asked, her face and voice impassive.
"Yeah, but—"
"Good for you," Fleur interrupted gracefully, "I brought my things over. I hope it is not too inconvenient that I arrived right before dinner."
Fleur put down a small bag she had in one hand. Hermione had not noticed it at first in her surprise. She glanced down at her watch, realising that some time had passed while she had been talking with Amelie.
"Oh, right," Hermione mumbled, running a hand through her curls distractedly, "Well, we are going to Sunday Night Dinner with the Weasleys. Ron told them that you might tag along, so you are more than welcome to join."
"Ohh… Okay," Fleur said a little reluctantly, "Sure."
Hermione stepped in to the dining room of The Burrow. She had a protective hand in the small of Fleur's back. Harry and Ron were shooting her curious glances, but she ignored them. It was instinct, she felt a need to look after her unborn child as well as Fleur.
The blonde didn't seem to mind, even leaning into her touch a little.
"Hello darlings!" Molly Weasley exclaimed, lighting up as soon as they entered the room.
She got up and gave them each a bone-crushing hug, beginning with Ron. When she got to Hermione, she looked at her appraisingly after releasing her. Her blue eyes flicked from Hermione to Fleur, then to Fleur's protruding stomach.
"So, things are progressing well here?" Molly asked. Her smile radiated warmth but also showed curiosity.
"Yes," Hermione grinned proudly, "We're having a little boy."
Fleur smiled serenely, content for now.
Her azure eyes roamed the room as Molly congratulated them, rambling about the joys of being a mother.
Around the dining room table were Arthur, Percy, Ginny, George, Kingsley Shacklebolt and…
"Hi, love," Bill greeted, stepping past his mother to hug Fleur and kiss her on the cheek, "You've fallen off the grid recently."
"We were in France," Fleur explained.
Bill gave Hermione a sideways glance before looking back at Fleur with a smirk.
"How cute…" Bill said sardonically.
Fleur frowned. Hermione felt self conscious again. The judgmental gaze of Bill raised her awful anxieties again. With her bushy hair and casual clothing, she looked frumpy beside the fashionable and pretty Fleur.
"All right, take a seat everyone," Molly interrupted, putting a hand on her son's shoulder and steering him back to the table.
Hermione was relieved for the interruption, silently thanking Molly for stepping in.
As they sat down, Fleur winced slightly. Hermione's hand was on Fleur's baby bump in a second, a look of concern on her face.
"Are you okay?" Hermione murmured.
Fleur nodded.
"The pregnancy is just getting a little more uncomfortable by the day," Fleur replied quietly. Her eyes flicked up and she caught Bill watching her, an amused smile on his face. Fleur frowned and removed Hermione's hand from her stomach. She set about serving herself some food without another word.
"It must be exciting for you two," Arthur commented, nodding at Hermione and Fleur.
"What about me? I'm pretty much gonna be an uncle," Ron interjected, his mouth somehow already full of potato. Everyone else was only just dishing themselves food but Ron already had a heaped plate. It never ceased to amaze Hermione how fast that boy moved when it came to food.
Ginny elbowed her brother, causing him to momentarily choke on his potato.
"Way to make it about you," Ginny said, rolling her eyes.
"Someone has to," Ron shrugged.
"It is exciting, thanks Arthur," Hermione interjected politely. A Ginny and Ron argument left uninterrupted was known to spiral out for the entirety of Sunday Dinners.
"Fleur has hardly mentioned it at work," Bill said with a coy smile, "The goblins didn't even know until she started showing."
"It is not my fault they do not have keener senses," Fleur sniffed, "They boast all the time about how goblins know all compared to humans and yet they couldn't notice a simple pregnancy."
"Typical," Hermione murmured, quirking a smile. She was finding Fleur's defensive rudeness cute more often these days.
She felt Bill's gaze on her.
"How do you know what is typical of Fleur?" Bill asked. Molly shot him a withering gaze.
"Bill, don't get like that," Molly warned.
"No, no, I'm curious as to how Hermione thinks she knows my best friend better than me," Bill retorted.
Ginny and Ron rolled their eyes, apparently unsurprised by Bill's burst of temper.
"I never said that," Hermione replied evenly.
Fleur was looking increasingly uncomfortable and it was making Hermione feel protective again.
"It sure seems like that," Bill replied, "I used to spend every day with Fleur and now she's constantly being dragged off by you. What makes you think she even wants to spend time with you over me?"
"Bill!" Molly chided.
"I never said that either," Hermione replied tersely.
Fleur had dropped her gaze coldly and was picking at her food, not eating a thing.
"Now look here, Bill," Harry interjected, unable to take anymore, "I get that you're upset you haven't been able to spend much time with your best mate lately, but that's not Hermione's fault. She's just acting in the best interests of her baby."
"Yeah, you gotta chill out, mate," Ron agreed.
"Whatever," Bill sulked, crossing his arms.
A tense silence fell over the table.
"So, still into those Muggle contraptions, Arthur?" Kingsley Shacklebolt said eventually, changing the subject.
Arthur nodded, eager to talk about his latest discovery – fidget spinners.
When they got back to Grimmauld Place it was late. Harry and Ron sloped straight off to bed.
Hermione headed upstairs with Fleur. The blonde had been quiet all night after Bill's jealous outburst. Hermione was furious at the redhead. She loved the Weasleys, but it was a common weakness of that family to fall into a jealous and stubborn rage about things. The sooner Bill got over it, the better.
Right now Hermione was concerned about the effect it was having on Fleur. Hermione couldn't imagine how she would cope if Harry, Ron and Ginny started acting erratically instead of just fully supporting her.
"You okay?" Hermione asked when Fleur returned back from the bathroom in her silk robe.
Hermione had changed into her tank top and boxers, clambering into her bed. Inwardly, she couldn't wait until she had Fleur back in her bed, even if it was going to be platonic.
"I'm fine," Fleur replied neutrally.
"You don't give a lot away, do you?" Hermione said with a gentle smile.
Fleur shrugged before disrobing.
Hermione never fully ceased to be stunned by Fleur's penchant for roaming around with no clothes. She felt her jaw slacken at the beauty of the Veela. Her eyes were soon drawn to the baby bump Fleur was resting her hand on elegantly. Hermione felt a happiness and pride swell within her at the child of hers that Fleur was carrying.
Fleur climbed into bed beside Hermione, settling down. She smirked as she noticed Hermione's eyes on her.
"Your gaze certainly keeps my confidence in my body alive," Fleur muttered, rolling onto her side. She propped her head with one arm, watching Hermione intently.
"I can't imagine you having issues with your body confidence," Hermione snorted, "You seem to spend half your time unclothed."
"Do you have to be drunk in order to show your body?" Fleur asked, surprising Hermione with her directness, "I've noticed you are very uptight about me seeing anything."
Hermione swallowed. It was a sore subject. One she hadn't yet managed to broach with anyone else.
"Yes… Well…" Hermione gestured to the heavy scarring on her forearm spelling 'MUDBLOOD.' She gently ran her fingers over other slashes Bellatrix had left over her arms that were visible, "They're everywhere… Everyone knows about the Mudblood one, but… The slashes, they're all across me."
"So you let them change the way you behave?" Fleur asked. Her face wasn't betraying any of her emotions. Hermione couldn't tell if she was being judged or not by the blonde.
"Er," Hermione faltered, unsure of what to say.
"Nothing to be ashamed of," Fleur said quickly, "Bill is the same way about his scarred face. He has been so self-conscious since then. He behaves so differently now."
"Self-conscious?!" Hermione exclaimed, "Bill is drop-dead gorgeous. If anything, the scars on his face make him look even more handsome and defined."
"Well, you tell him that," Fleur said in a low voice, barely loud enough for Hermione to hear, "He has been even more judgmental since then. Sometimes it is as if he must make people feel more self-conscious about themselves than he is."
"Stupid," Hermione muttered, "They're not even that bad."
"Neither are yours," Fleur replied simply.
Hermione shook her head in disbelief. Fleur smiled.
"I have seen them, remember!" Fleur replied, "When they were fresh and now they are healed. When I saw your body that night this" Fleur patted her stomach, "happened, I was surprised how well they had healed."
Hermione was stunned.
Fleur either didn't seem to care about Hermione's surprise, or was more concerned with her own rest, as she rolled over. Her back was to Hermione now as she nestled in against her pillow.
Hermione turned off the lights and slid in behind Fleur to spoon her.
As she slung an arm protectively around the blonde's waist and felt Fleur's backside against her, her pulse quickened. She thought back to the last time Fleur had seen her scars. When they had both pulled their clothes off with reckless abandon. Hermione hadn't cared at all that night about Fleur seeing her. She had welcomed Fleur's touch and kisses across her skin.
Hermione sighed shakily, trying her best not to torture herself further.