Hermione paced the garden of Grimmauld Place. She wasn't sure what to do.
Her head was full of thoughts. Guilt over not realizing that Fleur had been struggling with this issue. Frustration that Fleur hadn't shared it with her earlier. A deep affection driving her to seek out the blonde and soothe her.
She went back inside, scooping up a beer and sipping at it agitatedly.
Amelie approached her through the throng of partygoers.
"Hey Golden Girl," Amelie greeted flirtily, "You look a little troubled."
"Hey Amelie," Hermione sighed, "Yeah… I'm having trouble with Fleur."
"Well, pregnant women can be a little moody," Amelie shrugged, before realization crossed her face, "Wait—is Fleur the woman you're hung up on?! Of course!"
Hermione blushed prettily, making Amelie grin wider.
"Oh, you are sooo cute," Amelie squealed, "Fleur is so lucky—ugh!"
"I wouldn't say she's that lucky," Hermione said glumly, "We got into an argument and I said some stupid things."
"Everyone says stupid things in an argument," Amelie placated, "Just flash that adorable smile of yours and talk it out."
Hermione sighed.
"I'm not sure it's as simple as that," Hermione groaned.
"Nooope, you aren't going to overthink this one!" Amelie giggled, grabbing Hermione by the shoulders and steering her towards the crowd, "Go find your woman and talk it out."
She gave Hermione a light shove and a slap on the butt, resulting in a surprised yelp from the Golden Girl.
Hermione pushed her way through the crowd, trying to find silvery blonde hair amongst the throngs of people.
She saw platinum blonde and pushed through, stumbling across a blonde snogging a raven-haired boy.
"Fleur-? Oh, sorry!" Hermione stammered, realizing that the blonde was Luna and the raven-haired boy was Harry.
They hadn't even heard her, too wrapped up in each other. Luna's hands were clasped tightly behind Harry's neck. Harry's were buried in Luna's platinum blonde hair.
For once she wouldn't be the one that had had a scandalous tryst at a party. Hermione smirked, leaving her two friends to continue kissing.
Hermione continued pushing her way through the crowd, again seeking out Fleur in the crowd. She spotted another platinum blonde, this one with a silvery quality to their hair.
Hermione rushed forward, grabbing the woman's shoulder.
"Fleur, I— Oh, for Pete's sake!" Hermione had whirled around one of Fleur's French friends.
"Salut," the woman greeted, "Sophie, remember? And you're Hermione, non?"
"Er, yeah," Hermione mumbled awkwardly, "Sorry for, er, grabbing you… I'm looking for Fleur."
"She went off with some of our other friends, quite upset," Sophie replied, "Would you like to accompany me while I get a fresh wine instead? Fleur probably just needs some time to vent with her friends."
"Oh… Okay," Hermione said, disappointed. She followed the blonde through the crowd to the kitchen.
Her hair really did have the same silvery quality to it that Fleur's did. It was just as perfectly straight as Fleur's, too.
Sophie found a chilled bottle of white wine and poured herself a glass. She offered the bottle to Hermione.
"Er, no thanks," Hermione smiled politely, "I'm good with my beer."
Hermione leaned against the kitchen counter, sipping at her beer. It was surprisingly empty in the kitchen. Hermione didn't mind. It gave her more space to think than the crowds and music elsewhere.
"Fleur never used to have a problem with being part-Veela," Sophie said, sipping at her wine, "Before the Triwizard Tournament, Madame Maxime held an assembly at school. Explained that if we wanted to travel with the delegate and had mixed blood, we would need to do additional paperwork and would need to avoid talking about it while abroad."
"That's awful," Hermione said sympathetically. Sophie nodded.
"It was so strange even watching Madame Maxime, who was well-known as being half-giant back home, go into intense denial about her own heritage," Sophie said, shaking her head, "I went back home after the first fortnight. I didn't like being made to be ashamed of being part creature."
"You are also…?"
"I am part-Veela also, oui," Sophie confirmed.
"Ah, Fleur did mention something about it having less of a stigma in France," Hermione said.
"Oui," Sophie replied, "We are lucky, I suppose. Hard to believe if Antoinette were to have a hope at getting a teaching job here, she would have to keep her werewolf status entirely under wraps like some clandestine secret. Antoinette is the redhead that was beside Fleur earlier, in case you forgot."
"It was a lot of names to remember all at once," Hermione acknowledged, rubbing the back of her neck.
"She likes you, you know," Sophie said, swirling the wine in her glass.
"Antoinette?"
"Fleur," Sophie clarified, "I've never seen her talk about anyone else the way she talks about you."
Hermione snorted.
"You have to be joking," Hermione scoffed, "She is constantly annoyed with me. It sounds like she's stuck with me and she's mad about it."
Sophie shook her head, her silvery hair spilling loose across her face.
"She is mad about being a Veela," Sophie sighed sadly, "I suppose if you had years of prejudice, you would grow frustrated at the part of you that made life more difficult for you than for others."
"Yes, but what has that got to do with me?" Hermione asked, "Did she mean it when she said I am her mate? What does that mean?"
"Woah, girl, too many questions!" Sophie smiled, raising her hands up in defeat, "A lot of this is really for Fleur to tell you herself."
"Ugh, you sound like Cassandra," Hermione groaned. Sophie laughed.
"You met her grandmere then," Sophie surmised, "Look, Fleur likes you. If you are her mate, that is a very scary and vulnerable thing for a Veela—whether you have hang-ups about your blood status or not."
"How so?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.
Sophie sighed, looking reluctant to share too much.
"Once a Veela's blood has recognized their mate, they cannot love another person. They cannot even try to. But the mate… They do not have the Veela blood, no? They are free to date whoever they want," Sophie said with a sad smile, "It is quite scary… Knowing that you are forever bound to someone who is not bound to you."
"So if I'm her mate, she doesn't have a choice—her blood has just chosen me whether she likes me or not?" Hermione asked, frowning, "So she is stuck with me."
Sophie stepped forward, cupping Hermione's cheek in a soothing manner.
"It isn't like that," Sophie said, "The Veela blood would not call out to someone that she was not meant to be with. It is supposed to be a blessing, not a curse."
"Right… But it's just because I got her pregnant?" Hermione asked, furrowing her brow. This was information overload and she had to ask question after question to make sense of it all. Sophie shook her head.
"Anyone can get a Veela pregnant," Sophie smiled, "We are extremely fertile. But not everyone displays the symptoms of being the Veela's mate. Supercharged powers and the likes…"
The kitchen door clattered open and a cluster of people walked in, Ginny and Ron amongst them.
"Hey, 'Mione!" Ron grinned, as Ginny and Ron approached her.
"I have already said too much," Sophie murmured quietly to Hermione, "You really need to discuss these things properly with Fleur."
"Well, hello there," Ron said seductively to Sophie, flattening his hair down, "Friend of Fleur's?"
Sophie stiffened, uncomfortable at his demeanour. But then her eyes moved to Ginny and she smiled a predatory smile that reminded Hermione of Cassandra.
"Bon soir, mademoiselle," Sophie purred, her eyes roaming Ginny in a way that almost made Hermione blush as a mere bystander, "I am Sophie. You are?"
Both Ron and Ginny seemed oblivious to the part-Veela's obvious intentions. Ron puffed his chest out a little and tensed his arms, trying to appear more muscular. Ginny smiled politely and extended her hand.
"Ginny Weasley," Ginny replied simply, "This is my brother Ron."
"Ginny Weasley," Sophie grinned, taking Ginny's hand and not letting go.
Hermione raised her eyebrows at Ginny, who shot her a confused look.
'Really? She gives me a hard time and can't even tell when a Veela is trying to lure her in?' Hermione thought to herself, amused.
"Have fun, guys," Hermione smirked, taking her leave.
As she got out to the living area again, she noticed several men she knew from Hogwarts chatting up Fleur's remaining friends. But Fleur herself was nowhere in sight.
Gambling on the chance that Fleur might have retired early for the night, Hermione pushed through the crowd and leaped up the stairs two at a time. She wanted to finally get some clarity about the situation. More than that, she wanted to soothe Fleur's troubled mind.
Sure enough, when Hermione entered their room, Fleur was sitting on the bed, messaging on her phone.
"You okay?" Hermione asked softly, shutting the door behind her.
Fleur's clear blue eyes raised immediately from her phone to look at Hermione.
"Yes, just messaging my family," Fleur replied neutrally, "I feel a bit tired so I'm just going to call it a night and go to bed."
"I don't pity you," Hermione said, referencing their argument from outside.
Fleur stiffened, putting her phone away.
"I'm sorry for losing my temper," Fleur said, "These hormones…"
Hermione could tell the beautiful woman in front of her was yet again trying to change the subject and avoid discussing things. She didn't like making Fleur uncomfortable, but Hermione was determined to get the conversation over and done with.
"I'm not going to leave you," Hermione pressed, "I know you feel vulnerable about that."
Fleur sighed heavily.
"You do not appreciate what you are offering," Fleur said, her eyes stormy, "You could date anyone you want. We are both young and you have your whole life ahead of you. You have only been intimate with me that one time… We've never really tried to have a relationship… I wouldn't want to force you into that for my sake."
"Oh, don't try to be all gallant," Hermione huffed, "I've had enough of that being friends with Harry. So, I take it that what Cassandra wanted you to tell me is that I'm your mate?"
Fleur looked uncomfortable, stiffening a little.
"Oui, you are demonstrating a number of symptoms that are only seen when one is a Veela's mate," Fleur confirmed, "The not being able to rest while apart was one according to Grandmere, but was in no way definite proof either, so she said nothing at the time. But the increased strength demonstrated with your magic is quite compelling proof."
"Oh," Hermione couldn't muster much else in response.
"This cursed blood," Fleur muttered, before swearing.
Hermione felt herself growing self conscious again. Fleur, even with a belly swelled with pregnancy, was exceedingly beautiful. She was fiery, elegant, mysterious… Hermione couldn't quite imagine someone like Fleur on the arm of someone like her.
"Are… Are you disappointed that I'm your mate?" Hermione asked, petrified of the answer.
Fleur looked down, her cheeks growing a little pink.
"I am not disappointed that we are destined to one another," Fleur said so quietly that Hermione could scarcely hear it, "But that you will inevitably get bored of me… Or sick of me… And when that happens, you're free to go on to whoever you want. Whereas I…"
"Wait… What…?" Hermione was confused. Fleur had skipped over one particular disappointment that Hermione thought would have been front and centre.
"Do you really have to force me to say it?" Fleur growled, still looking quite intently at the floor, "I could never keep someone like you. Someone so highly intelligent, brave, adventurous… You would tire of me so quickly."
"That's what you're worried about?" Hermione gaped at the woman in front of her, "That you wouldn't be enough for me? I thought you were disappointed that your mate was me."
Fleur looked up at Hermione again. Hermione felt a horrible jolt as she realized tears were budding in the corners of Fleur's eyes. There was something quite awful about seeing someone as composed and strong as Fleur brought to tears.
"Throughout this pregnancy…" Fleur said, still speaking quietly, "You've been so good to me. You've been everything I could ever want in a partner and more."
"What?!" Hermione yelped, "Why didn't you say?!"
A tear rolled down Fleur's cheek.
"You… You rejected me that night when I tried to make something happen between us again," Fleur said, her eyes casting down to the floor again.
Hermione grew ashen.
"Fl-Fleur! That was never meant to be a rejection!" Hermione exclaimed, "You petrified me! You're so stunning! Having someone so perfect in my lap like that got me so flustered! Then when you avoided any talk of it… I assumed it was hormones and nothing more."
"Petrified?" Fleur asked, looking up again.
Hermione nodded emphatically.
"Absolutely! As soon as I realized I had slept with you I felt so totally inadequate! Then as I realized how funny and cute and strange you can be, it just flustered me more," Hermione explained, rubbing the back of her neck.
"Strange!" Fleur retorted with slight outrage.
"Fleur… Peanut butter and pickle sandwich?" Hermione teased, quirking an eyebrow, "You're a secret weirdo."
"Hey!" Fleur pouted adorably, "Lots of women have strange pregnancy cravings!"
Hermione's mind was whirring even more than when she didn't know anything at all. Fleur had been acting the way she had because she had thought Hermione had rejected her. All the teasing, the moodiness and the distance… Well, Fleur was naturally moody and distant. But it had definitely been increased by her sense of rejection.
"So every time you got annoyed at your mum for suggesting we were together…?" Hermione queried. Fleur frowned.
"Well, I get annoyed at her for nagging me about anything," Fleur said, "But that particular topic… That really just rubbed salt in the wounds so to speak. There is no way you would ever want to be with someone like me for the rest of your life."
"Well that's just not true. I have to say, though… You're being pretty open with me… Strangely open for you," Hermione noted.
Fleur sighed, her shoulders slumping.
"My friends urged me to," Fleur groaned, "I really don't like it. Can we talk about something else now?"
"Wait," Hermione paused, "So if you were just out of sorts because you thought I'd rejected you and not because it was me… Does that mean… You're actually interested…?"
To Hermione's total surprise, Fleur blushed a deep red, looking down once again. Hermione had never seen Fleur react quite like it before. The brunette patiently waited for Fleur to answer, but she continued intently looking away, blushing. It appeared Fleur had reached her limit for how much uncomfortable conversation she could withstand.
Hermione thought it was sweet. Fleur really was quite shy and self conscious at heart.
"Well… How about we keep all the pressure off and just focus on getting to know each other a bit more?" Hermione suggested, "I'm not interested in dating anyone else, I'm not going to suddenly reject you, and you don't have to leap into anything you aren't ready for. Does that sound okay?"
Fleur nodded, still looking thoroughly embarrassed.
Hermione sat down beside Fleur on the edge of the bed, putting her hand on top of Fleur's.
"Can we just pretend that we never had such a mortifying conversation?" Fleur mumbled somewhat sulkily. She was still looking intently at the floor.
"Fleur," Hermione said softly. She took her other hand and cupped Fleur's face, turning the blonde's head to look at her. Fleur resisted a little before finally bringing her eyes up to meet Hermione's.
"You are a complicated little thing, aren't you?" Hermione smiled.
"I am not," Fleur said, pouting a little. Hermione inwardly cheered. At least the blonde was feeling well enough to pout.
Hermione leaned in, gently kissing Fleur on the nose. Fleur adorably scrunched up her nose in response.
"Shall we get ready for bed then?" Hermione asked, standing up and stretching.
"You aren't going to return to the party?" Fleur queried.
"I'd rather spend time with you," Hermione shrugged.
Hermione walked over to her wardrobe. She could feel Fleur's intense gaze upon her. After their talk, Hermione was a lot less self-conscious in front of the blonde. Now she knew that Fleur had been acting out of her own insecurities, Hermione felt many of her anxieties melt away.
She tugged at the bottom of her tee, clenching her jaw. Although she had previously shown Fleur her scars, she still wasn't entirely comfortable with her body. Still, no better time to get past it.
'I guess I really have become bolder,' Hermione thought to herself idly.
She pulled her tee over her head and shed the rest of her clothes, selecting a singlet and some boxers to swap to.
When she finished tidying her clothes away and turned back to Fleur, she saw the blonde was already bare shouldered and tucked up in bed.
She paused for a moment, assessing the situation.
Never in a million years had Hermione thought she would live in a world like this. Voldemort finally defeated for good, living with her best friends, a gorgeous woman in her bed who liked her, a perfect baby boy on the way.
Hermione grinned like an idiot. How many people would kill to be in her position right now?
"What are you smiling about?" Fleur asked, cocking her head to one side curiously.
"Nothing," Hermione grinned, coming to bed and climbing in next to the beautiful part-Veela, "Just… When did I get so lucky?"
"You can be so cheesy," Fleur commented, apparently feeling more relaxed again. She shuffled up next to Hermione, flinging an arm across her stomach.
"You like it," Hermione teased, sliding her arm around Fleur's shoulders and pulling her closer. She could feel Fleur's pregnant belly firm against her side and it made her smile, thinking about the little boy growing inside.
There was a sudden bump and Hermione and Fleur looked at each other, their eyes wide.
"He just kicked!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Oui!" Fleur gasped, "It was so strong! Mon petit chou, are you trying to kick your British mummy for being so cheesy?"
Fleur rubbed her belly as she talked to the little baby within. Hermione felt her heart absolutely melt.
"I hope you don't usually talk ill of me to the baby," Hermione teased, watching Fleur with a large smile on her face.
Fleur glanced up, her clear blue eyes locking with Hermione's. She smiled a coy little smile.
"Wouldn't you like to know?" Fleur teased.
Hermione feigned shock and horror, causing Fleur to giggle.
"If this is the case, I'm going to have to wait until you fall asleep to tell our boy what his Maman is really like!" Hermione teased Fleur back.
"Gorgeous and talented?" Fleur suggested.
"Or maybe that she has a truly shocking ego?" Hermione chuckled.
"You like it," Fleur teased, repeating Hermione's retort from before back to her.
Hermione was stunned momentarily by how beautiful Fleur looked when relaxed and smiling. Her blue eyes were positively sparkling.
Hermione couldn't help herself, leaning in and capturing the blonde's lips with her own. Fleur's lips were soft and sensual, pressing back against Hermione's as her hand crept up Hermione's neck to tangle amongst her brunette curls. Hermione, emboldened further, pushed her tongue into the blonde's mouth.
Fleur sighed in pleasure, making Hermione's pulse quicken. The fact she was now confident that Fleur herself was enjoying it was turning Hermione on more. Encouraged, Hermione let her eager hands run down the expanse of Fleur's toned back. It felt amazing to get her hands freely over what she had admired for so long. Cautiously, she allowed her hands to drift down to Fleur's ample backside, moaning as she squeezed it with satisfaction.
Their kiss finally broke and Hermione gazed into Fleur's eyes, drunk on arousal. The blonde's pupils were blown, the bright azure of her iris a mere thin ring around the dark lust of them. Sighing shakily, Fleur smirked.
"I knew you were an ass woman," Fleur teased lightly.
Hermione removed her hands from Fleur's ass quickly, blushing lightly.
"Aw, shut up," Hermione said, embarrassed.
Fleur giggled as Hermione pulled her into a loose cuddle once more. The women lay together in silence, more content together than they had ever been. As sleepiness finally overcame them, both drifted off with a smile on their face.