Hermione was dozing in bed when she awoke to Fleur clambering into bed, exhausted.
"Blimey, what time is it?" Hermione grumbled sleepily, rolling over.
"Just after 4am," Fleur sighed tiredly, "They're okay… Shaken, but okay…"
Fleur didn't have a chance to elaborate as her eyes flickered shut almost immediately. Hermione was startled at how abruptly Fleur had fallen into such a deep sleep. As Hermione began to drift off herself, she moved over, instinctively pulling Fleur into a protective embrace.
When Hermione next awoke, the bed was empty. She stretched and yawned, turning on a lamp before checking her watch. 6.30am. Hermione shrugged and got up, padding into the living room.
"You have got to be kidding me," Hermione exclaimed, noticing Fleur set up at the table amongst scattered papers. Fleur looked up, quirking an eyebrow.
"What is it? I didn't make you a coffee because I didn't know you would be up," Fleur commented defensively.
"Fleur… Its not even 7am. You can't have had more than a couple of hours sleep!" Hermione replied.
Fleur shrugged and went back to scribbling.
"I arranged for Ron and Harry to have their own representation, but there is still much to do," Fleur replied, "There is something truly disturbing at play here."
"Yeah," Hermione replied, sombre now as she remembered the latest twist in the horrible events going on, "What is going on? How did they seem?"
Hermione sat down across from Fleur at the table. Fleur put down her quill, rubbing at her eyes tiredly.
"Gringotts was broken into, usual security protocol kicked in, the Goblins found Ron and Harry unconscious in the tunnels and called the Aurors," Fleur replied, "Their wands were at the scene, the last spells cast on them were consistent with the damage to the Gringotts building."
"Obviously whoever kidnapped them placed them there," Hermione said incredulously, "Do they remember who took them? It must be Death Eaters."
Fleur shook her head.
"They'd been obliviated," she replied, "They didn't remember anything past walking down Diagon Alley."
"There is no way this can stand up," Hermione responded, crossing her arms, "There is no way they can be convinced by this."
"I know… It is ludicrous," Fleur agreed, shaking her head, "The three heroes of the latest Wizarding War all happen to go down for serious crimes in a small space of time? It is so obviously a set up."
"How can the Auror department not prove it? It seems so obvious," Hermione grumbled, "We need to have a word with Tonks about the investigations."
"We aren't going to be speaking with Tonks or any other former Hogwarts students," Fleur corrected, "But I know. It is frustrating. There just doesn't seem to be any evidence left behind other than that incriminating the Golden Trio."
Hermione groaned and slumped over the table in defeat. Fleur reached over and put her hand on top of Hermione's.
"I will get you through this," Fleur said firmly, "I will make sure they don't get away with framing you."
Hermione looked up, feeling marginally buoyed by Fleur's words. The blonde was so confident, so sure, it sparked a small amount of hope within Hermione.
Fleur browsed from stall to stall at the magical creatures market. She weighed up a tomato on one hand, looking pensive.
"Sickle for your thoughts?" Hermione asked, standing behind Fleur holding an armful of groceries.
Fleur yawned heavily.
"I'm just tired," Fleur commented, purchasing some tomatoes and handing them to Hermione.
Hermione added the tomatoes to the haul she was already carrying in cloth bags. Fleur ate extremely healthily, something Hermione was grateful for. Fresh fruit and vegetables were something she no longer took for granted after her time in Azkaban.
"Maybe you should have let yourself sleep longer than two hours," Hermione smiled. Being out in the fresh air was boosting her mood. That and Fleur's confident encouragement were putting her in better spirits she had been in for a long time, despite the recent bad news.
"I didn't want to sleep in," Fleur whined, stifling another yawn. Hermione smiled slyly.
"Didn't want to end up with your hand down my pyjama shorts again, you mean?" Hermione teased with a faux serious face.
Fleur choked mid-yawn and blushed. Recovering, she stiffened and raised herself to her full height.
"I am married," Fleur said, albeit slightly unconvincingly.
"I am aware," Hermione reminded, "Doesn't mean we both didn't like it."
Fleur blushed further, pulling her cloak tighter around herself.
"Lets head home, shall we?" Fleur changed the subject tensely, "I've been away from my work for too long."
"Fine," Hermione agreed, shuffling her arms full of bags, "Think you've got us enough produce to feed a small army, anyway."
Fleur swatted her.
"I like to have plenty of fresh produce," Fleur snipped haughtily. Hermione grinned.
Fleur and Hermione pored over old texts for hours for the following few days. The sexual tension was still rife, but the shared determination to find the solution kept them safely out of trouble.
One evening, Hermione and Fleur treated themselves to a glass of wine after the day's work. They sat together on the couch, nursing the burgundy liquid in their respective wine glasses.
"I'm sure alcohol isn't usually allowed when you're on bail," Hermione said, crinkling her nose. She might be an inmate of Azkaban, but her love for the rules still existed strongly within her.
"Well, if they forgot to include that in the ridiculous conditions they gave you, that's on them," Fleur replied with a smirk, sipping contentedly at her wine.
They sat in silence for a while, each sneaking glances at each other every now and again. Eventually, Hermione cleared her throat.
"Do you always work this hard?" Hermione asked. She saw a smile quirk at the corners of Fleur's mouth.
"I always work hard," Fleur replied proudly, "As for this hard? I am unsure I have cared as much about a case before, so it is hard to gauge."
"Is it hard for you and Bill?" Hermione ventured cautiously, "You working so much?"
Fleur sighed.
"Right now it is good for us to have more space," Fleur replied airily, almost as if nothing were wrong at all, "He wants children right now, I am not ready for them any time in the near future. We seem to have a large number of differing wants in life."
"I see," Hermione replied, looking deeply into her wine glass as if it were the most interesting thing in the world.
"All relationships have their hurdles," Fleur replied defensively, stiffening a little beside Hermione.
'When are they insurmountable?' Hermione wanted to ask. But she daren't go that far. She also didn't want to pressure the blonde. She was obviously conflicted about her attraction to Hermione and pressuring her about her marriage was hardly going to make that better.
"Do you have any tattoos?" Hermione asked. Fleur scoffed.
"No," Fleur replied incredulously, "Why? Do you like it when women have tattoos?"
Hermione shrugged.
"Just wondering," Hermione replied, finishing her glass of wine.
"Do you have any?" Fleur asked, unable to hide her curiosity. Hermione smiled.
"One," Hermione replied, "I got it after the war ended. A symbol of the Deathly Hallows on my ribcage. For better or worse the Hallows are a part of my history now."
Fleur leaned forward in interest, her blue eyes fascinated.
"Really?" Fleur asked, captivated, "Can I see?"
Hermione smiled again, lifting the corner of her loose long sleeved tee to bare her midriff. Fleur leaned forward more, her breath now tickling Hermione's stomach.
"Wow… You really are toned," Fleur commented, "I guess that prison workout really does wonders…"
A delicate hand moved up Hermione's side to touch Hermione's ribcage, tracing the shape of the tattoo.
Hermione looked at the ceiling, biting her lip. Having Fleur close like this felt so good but so frustrating at the same time.
'Don't think about the fact she's attracted to you…' Hermione inwardly told herself, biting down on her lip harder as Fleur's fingers stroked her tattoo gently.
"Did it hurt?" Fleur asked, "I hear they do it without magic."
"Y-yeah," Hermione managed to get out, "But not as bad as I thought."
Fleur's hand moved off the tattoo, running down Hermione's side. Hermione looked down from the ceiling, meeting Fleur's eyes. Fleur had an intense look about her, a strange predatory look that Hermione had seen a few times before. Her pupils were huge, the blackness of them almost taking over the blue ring around them.
Hermione was captivated, leaning forward. Their faces were now so close that Hermione could feel Fleur's breath on her face. The tension between them had now raised to unbearable levels.
'Maybe just one kiss will ease the tension,' Hermione thought to herself. She wanted it so badly. She could see in Fleur's eyes that she wanted it too. Hermione swallowed heavily, leaning back abruptly and dropping her shirt down. Fleur removed her hand from Hermione's side, exhaling shakily and moving back.
Hermione picked up her glass of wine again, draining it in one go.
Fleur ran a hand through her long hair, shutting her eyes briefly.
"It is late," Fleur said, her eyes flickering open again, "Shall we go to bed?"
She got up, stepping over Hermione's legs to walk slowly to the bedroom. Hermione put her wine glass down, standing up and following Fleur slowly.
'Wonder what Bill would think if he could see me following his wife to bed… Looking at her the way I'm looking at her… Thinking the things I'm thinking about her…' Hermione thought guiltily, watching the way Fleur's long hair swayed behind her.
Hermione's breath caught in her throat as Fleur pulled her shirt over her head, her back to her. Hermione gaped at Fleur's bare back. She took off her pants, standing solely in her underpants. Hermione felt her stomach flip as Fleur bent down to get her nightdress.
"Jeeeesus Christ…" Hermione muttered under her breath.
Fleur pulled her nightdress over her head and straightened it all out before removing her underpants.
Hermione bit her lip. Fleur turned around, looking at Hermione curiously.
"Are you going to get changed for bed?" Fleur asked. Hermione nodded, pulling her shirt off. She inwardly smirked as Fleur's eyebrows raised and her eyes darkened.
'This tension between us is insane…' Hermione thought to herself as she stripped down and got into her boxers and a tee.
Hermione tore her eyes from Fleur and climbed into the bed. Fleur sighed, turning off the lamps in the room before climbing in the other side of the bed.
"You okay?" Hermione asked into the darkness.
"I like it when you hold me at night," Fleur confessed.
Hermione smiled, moving to embrace Fleur in the bed. The blonde wrapped her arms around Hermione's waist, nestling her face into Hermione's neck.
Hermione let out an involuntary sigh of content, holding Fleur tight.
"Is this bad?" Fleur asked softly.
"We aren't really doing anything wrong, I suppose," Hermione reasoned.
She felt Fleur nod into her neck. They lay in the dark holding each other in a comfortable silence. Eventually, Hermione felt Fleur begin to breathe slowly and deeply as she fell into sleep.
'Not really doing anything wrong?' Hermione thought to herself, 'You're cuddling a MARRIED WOMAN in bed…'
Pushing the thoughts out of her mind, Hermione let sleep take her over.
Hermione awoke on her back, the sun streaming down on her face. Fleur and Hermione had been burning the candle at both ends for quite some time so it felt good to sleep in. It felt even better sleeping in with Fleur snuggled against her.
Hermione smiled widely as she realised that Fleur had once again slipped her hand into her boxers during the night.
"Fleur?" Hermione asked loudly.
"Hrmm?" Fleur sleepily lifted her head, "Oh shit, sorry…"
Fleur went to move her hand out of Hermione's boxers but Hermione put her hand on her arm.
"Its okay," Hermione replied huskily, "I like it."
Fleur swallowed heavily.
"I… I like it too…" Fleur admitted.
Her hand was playing at Hermione's hip bone. Hermione's breath hitched as Fleur moved her hand across her pelvis.
"Fuck, Fleur…" Hermione managed.
Fleur's hand moved down to cup Hermione's sex. Hermione's hips bucked a little and her breathing became ragged.
'She's not even DOING anything, just cupping it… Jesus, imagine if she actually—'
"Hermione," Fleur murmured into Hermione's neck, withdrawing her hand from Hermione's boxers, "I can't… I'm married."
"I know…" Hermione exhaled.
The two of them disentangled and sat up in bed. Fleur looked away from Hermione, running a hand through her hair.
"I'm sorry," Hermione managed, "That was inappropriate…"
"Yeah, it was," Fleur murmured, still not looking at Hermione, "But its my fault too."
They sat in the bed for a while, neither talking, neither looking at each other.
"Well… Shall we get back to work?" Hermione suggested.
"Yep!" Fleur replied immediately, "Definitely! Let's do that."
The blonde leapt out of bed and headed out of the bedroom. Hermione almost chuckled at the awkwardness.
'And this is why we don't act on those feelings of attraction, Hermione,' Hermione told herself, running a hand down her face.
Hermione lay back on the bed for a moment, reliving the feeling of Fleur's hand down her boxers.
"Out of Azkaban into a new form of torture," Hermione grumbled, rolling over and getting out of bed.