The apology dinner was awkward, but once everything was out in the open, it actually greatly improved things for the flatmates. They ended up sitting on the couch and discussing the entire breakdown of their Weasley relationships.
Fleur explained how she had always known she was gay but had tried to find a nice man to marry anyway, in the hopes that she would be happy regardless and keep her family happy. She laughed, it sounded stupid now, considering how they had treated her.
Hermione discussed how she had dated Ron for a while after the war, both moving in with Harry in shared room before their frequent fights led to Ron moving out to live with Dean and Seamus. Her frequent bouts of depression and rage had ultimately brought out the worst in Ron, and she had decided the only way for either of them to move forward was to end the relationship.
"Believe it or not," Hermione said, "I've had less shitty nights like last night since breaking up with him. I'm already in a better place. I'm just sorry I still have a while to go."
"So…" Hermione said, deciding to cheer the conversation up, "Have you been getting out there much with the ladies?"
Hermione imagined that the women would be clambering over themselves to get at the svelte blonde Frenchwoman. She was so stylish and intelligent. And her body was pretty amazing… Hermione swallowed, confused by these sudden thoughts.
"Ah, I had a couple of girlfriends at Beauxbatons," Fleur said, getting used to talking freely on the subject, "I actually had a girlfriend while I was competing at the Triwizard Competition, but Madame Maxime found out and made her stay behind in France because she didn't want that detracting from the media the school would be getting."
Hermione raised her eyebrows, surprised.
"Yes, and then of course my parents found out. But they were convinced it was a phase, and they were fine when I married Bill." Fleur sighed sadly, "But since then, I haven't even been on one date."
Hermione was surprised, "nobody has caught your eye at all?"
Fleur blushed a little and didn't look at Hermione, and Hermione suddenly realised she was the first person Fleur had felt interested in since her divorce.
"Well," Hermione said, clearing her throat, "How about, in the interests of us both bouncing back from our Weasley break ups, I follow Harry's advice and try a session of therapy, and you follow my advice and go on a date with a nice witch?"
Fleur looked reluctant but agreed.
X
The week that followed went very well, Fleur and Hermione closer than ever and bonding over Ginny's disdain of them spending time with Harry. By Friday, Hermione was set on staying true to her word to Fleur. She had booked in a therapy session for the afternoon and arranged to meet Fleur at a muggle bar afterwards.
The therapy session went better than she anticipated. The wizard she had as a therapist was incredibly understanding. Although she didn't manage to get to the Bellatrix things, she got a lot of good discussion done on her time living in a tent with Harry and Ron and the battle of Hogwarts. Although she spent the first half sobbing, by the end she was feeling some real catharsis from talking.
When she left, she felt a slight weight off her shoulders. She walked into the bar she had told Fleur to meet her at and ordered two wines. Then she took it to a table and sat down.
After about ten minutes, Fleur walked into the bar, sweeping her long silver-blonde hair over her shoulder. She was wearing a form fitting, short casual dress and some high heels. Hermione found herself staring at Fleur as she walked in. She still could not believe that Fleur was attracted to her. Considering the last person to ask out Hermione was Ron, the very thought seemed laughable.
Fleur noticeably lit up when she saw Hermione. In fact, she appeared to be almost glowing with happiness as she came and sat down at the table with Hermione. Hermione saw Fleur's eyes drawn to her lips and then down to her chest and felt a funny kind of shiver. She had to remind herself that she wasn't gay.
"So, first therapy session was pretty intense…" Hermione began, taking a sip from her wine, "but its done! So now I guess that leaves you to keep up your end of the bargain."
"Merde, Hermione! I didn't expect you to move so fast!" Fleur yelped, taking a drink from her wine glass, "Where will I even find a woman to ask out,"
Hermione smirked and looked around the bar. Fleur followed her sight, suddenly taking in the large amount of rainbow décor in the bar.
"Oh… Hermione… you haven't…" Fleur said, realisation dawning on her face.
It took a few more wines, but eventually the bar was crowded enough and Fleur was confident enough that they started talking about women around the bar. But before they could select a woman for Fleur to approach, one approached her. The woman was no Fleur Delacour, but was very attractive all the same. She was tanned and had long brunette hair and an athletic figure.
"Hey, could I buy you a drink?" the girl asked Fleur. Fleur looked uncomfortably from Hermione to the girl. Hermione nodded encouragingly.
"Ah, yes, thanks," Fleur said, rising to her feet. The girls eyes ran up and down Fleur unashamedly with appreciation.
"Wow, and you're French too," the girl said, clearly drooling over her.
Hermione took a large gulp of her wine, trying to ignore the prickling jealousy rising in her stomach. She watched Fleur walk over to the bar with the girl, the French witch's hips swaying intoxicatingly. Her ass looked pretty amazing in that dress, Hermione couldn't deny it. Hermione wondered if it was just that she had had too much wine that was making her notice how hot Fleur looked. Or maybe it was the lingering memory of Fleur in her arms, eyes full of desire, powerless to resist her.
Hermione kept sipping her wine, watching this brunette at the bar try to seduce Fleur. The girl had already snaked one of her hands on to Fleur's hips and was obviously in the middle of complimenting Fleur's hair.
Hermione couldn't look, she pulled out a book from her bag and immersed herself in an edition on grindylow habits. She tucked her hair behind her ear and had barely got through ten pages when she was interrupted.
"Reading in a bar?"
Hermione looked up. Fleur was laughing at her as she sat down.
"What happened to the brunette with the drinks?" Hermione asked. Fleur looked a little awkward.
"I'm not sure I'm ready, but a drink and short chat was a good start." Hermione couldn't help but smile inwardly as she noticed Fleur was leaning towards her again and looking at her intently. She was still drawn to Hermione.
"Well, neither of us is going to change their lives overnight," Hermione said with a smile, as she finished the last of the wine in her glass, "I still have more therapy to go and you still have more dating efforts to go. Nightcap at home?"
Fleur nodded and they walked out of the bar and to a secluded alleyway to apparate back to the apartment. Hermione moved close to Fleur and held her hand for apparating. She was happy to notice another look of desire from Fleur before there was a loud pop and they apparated.
Three minutes later, they were curled up on the couch with a glass of wine each.
"I still can't believe you were reading a book in a bar on a Friday night," cackled Fleur, "That has to be the most Hermione Granger thing I have ever seen."
They both laughed heartily and chatted some more about the night before talk turned to Fleur's feelings for Hermione and the veela instincts. Fleur was a lot less shy about it now she had some wine in her.
"It is interesting to me because my parents never explained this part of the veela experience to me, let alone that it could happen with another woman," Fleur said.
"Yes," Hermione replied, "I was quite surprised too, I'd never seen cases of it in less than half-blood veelas, or in a same-sex scenario… It was quite fun testing the submissive part with you too, getting you to make that pasta…"
"Merde! You tease me too much, Hermione," Fleur responded, remembering how much she had struggled to rescue the overly floury mess Hermione had made out of the homemade pasta.
"It is quite tempting though," Hermione giggled, before adding in her best seductive voice, "Go get me another glass of wine, Fleur,"
Fleur looked conflicted for a split second before obediently rising from her chair and walking to the kitchen, pouring Hermione another glass of wine, and returning to the couch. As soon as she was done she pouted.
"Hermione, that's so unfair!" she pouted.
"Fleur, how about you take my heels off, they're really killing me…" Hermione smirked, leaning back in her seat.
Fleur opened her mouth to reply, before closing it again and getting up from the couch and kneeling in front of Hermione. She took Hermione's leg by the calf before running her other hand down her calf and removing her heel. Hermione felt herself getting incredibly turned on, a situation only made worse by Fleur's cleavage being extremely revealed from this angle.
In a minute, Fleur was done, and she threw herself back on the couch to pout again. She looked so cute and sexy it was all that Hermione could do to stop herself from asking Fleur to remove her dress.
"When will this stop happening?" Fleur said sulkily.
Hermione giggled, "sorry but it doesn't stop until you acquire your mate, so its going to be happening until your dating life picks up and you meet a girl you like!"
Hermione was glad they could joke about it now. She had a feeling that Fleur had been feeling uncomfortable around her because of her crush.