A/N: Hi all- Just a reminder. When words are in bold and italics in the story, it means they are conversing in French.
Chapter 18.
Jacques was in a startlingly good mood as he welcomed Fleur, Gabrielle and Hermione into the grand hotel room where he was once again staying with Apolline and Delphine. Fleur eyed her mother and grandmother suspiciously. They too seemed to be in good spirits.
"I'm not sure I want to speak to Papa," Fleur said shortly to Delphine. Delphine gave her an encouraging smile.
"Now, Fleur, your father has said that he has thought things over and he has reconsidered the positivity of you marrying a member of the Golden Trio," Apolline said tersely. Fleur shot her mother a baffled look.
"Overnight my father has just changed his mind?" Fleur said, crossing her arms. Hermione looked sharply around the room. She, like Fleur, didn't trust Jacques' supposed change of heart either.
Gabrielle had just completed translating the earlier conversation for Hermione as they were making their way to sit down in armchairs. Hermione paused, refusing to sit, as her mind suddenly clicked.
Gabrielle and Fleur, already seated on a couch, looked at Hermione curiously. Delphine and Apolline were sitting across from them and Jacques was sitting in an armchair. He looked at Hermione with barely veiled disdain.
"What member of the Golden Trio?" Hermione asked suddenly. Eyebrows raised around the room.
"What do you mean 'Ermione?" Gabrielle asked, cocking her head to one side. Jacques crossed his arms tightly across his chest.
"What member of the Golden Trio are you positive about Fleur marrying?" Hermione repeated, her voice even more firm. Everyone turned to look at Jacques.
"Eet ees more important to me zan anyzing zat my daughters marry well. Zat zey are safe and zat zey are blessed wiz a match zat becomes zem," Jacques said quietly, looking defiantly around at his family, "All I want is for my daughters to 'ave a life fitting for zem. I would sacrifice my life for it."
"What have you done, Jacques?" Apolline asked, paling. Her husband was hot-headed and stubborn and it was often a dangerous mix.
"I 'ave made an Unbreakable Vow," Jacques announced, squaring his jaw, "I 'ave agreed to give Fleur's 'and in marriage to Ron Weasley."
"What?!" Fleur shrieked, standing to her feet suddenly, "He's Bill's baby brother!"
"'E is ze same age as your 'Ermione," Jacques said with distaste.
"Jacques! Fleur must be wiz 'er mate!" Apolline cut in, colouring. Delphine similarly looked outraged.
"Shut it," Jacques barked, "I 'ave already made ze Vow… And you all know what 'appens if you break an Unbreakable Vow."
"You're asking Fleur to choose between being happy and effectively killing you?!" Hermione bellowed. Jacques walked up to her, challenging her.
"Zis is all your fault," Jacques said acidly.
"My fault?" Hermione countered angrily, "I have done a lot of things in my life I'm not proud of, but I've never done anything this bad."
"Bad? She will still be wiz a member of ze Golden Trio… And she will no longer be degrading 'erself wiz women," Jacques spat, crossing his arms.
"Maman, you cannot let this happen," Fleur said angrily, looking at her mother. Her mother looked pained, looking from her mate to her daughter.
"Fleur… Eef you do not satisfy ze your fazzer's terms of ze Unbreakable Bond… 'E will die," Apolline said, paling, "And as your fazzer's mate… Eef 'e dies, I will also die,"
Gabrielle clutched Fleur's arm. Both daughters paled at the prospect of their parents dying. Delphine was watching in silence, an unreadable expression on her face.
"No…" Hermione uttered, the severity of the situation dawning on her. Jacques looked at her triumphantly.
"I have to go," Hermione said briskly, turning on her heel and leaving. The door slamming behind Hermione seemed to snap Fleur out of her deep shock and she rounded on her father.
"How could you be so STUPID?!" Fleur shouted at Jacques. He raised his hands defensively.
"I am your father, Fleur. Everything I do is for your best interest," Jacques said soothingly.
"Its not! Everything you do is to protect yourself and your stupid family name," Fleur snapped, "Give me one good reason why I shouldn't just let you die. You haven't been parents to me since I came out to you."
"Fleur!" Apolline gasped, "You don't mean that!"
Gabrielle silently moved to her sister, pulling her into a tight hug.
Hermione stormed down the crowded street, unable to even register the faces of the crowd through the haze of rage she was feeling. Of course. Of course Ron would find the one way to ruin everything for her.
Fleur now had to choose between being with Hermione or letting her parents die. Hermione wasn't a betting woman, but she didn't like her chances. Hermione choked back an angry sob at the thought.
She was mad at herself too. Mad at herself for being so trusting that she could actually believe that things in her life could work out. That she could be happy. Hermione pinched the bridge of her nose and ducked into the nearest bar, gesturing at the bartender. Noticing Hermione Granger of the Golden Trio, the bartender immediately got her a firewhiskey on the house. Being famous sometimes has its perks, Hermione thought morosely, knocking back the drink in one.
Hermione hunched over the bar for most of the afternoon, her mood darkening as the drinks flowed. Fleur was dancing at the edges of her mind, no matter how hard she tried to shove the whole situation out of mind. It was taunting her, thinking of having the brightest ray of happiness snatched from her life.
A thickset redhead came and sat heavily at the bar beside her.
"Here we go, here's the real Hermione," Ron said with a grin, nodding at the bartender for a drink.
"I cannot believe you've done this," Hermione said between gritted teeth.
"I gave you plenty of chances to avoid this," Ron shrugged, "But don't worry, I'll take good care of her."
"Shut up, Ron," Hermione spat. She gulped at her drink.
"Who are you more jealous of?" Ron asked with a wide grin, "Are you jealous of me marrying her? Or jealous of her being with me? I know everyone always thought we would end up getting married."
"What do you think, Ronald?" Hermione scowled, "You've found the only possible way to steal the love of my life from me."
"Love of your life?" Ron snorted, "Come on, you don't mean that."
"I do, Ron." Hermione said shortly, getting up from her chair and standing unsteadily.
Ron got up too, trying to block her from leaving.
"Come on, 'Mione," Ron said, from what felt like the end of a very blurry tunnel to Hermione, "You can't truly believe that you were ever actually going to be happy, right? You and I are meant to be together."
"Get out of my way, Ron," Hermione ordered testily.
"Not until you admit that we're meant to be together," Ron demanded.
"I hardly think forcing Fleur to marry you is going to result in us being together," Hermione shot back. Ron grimaced.
"Well if I can't be with you, you can't be with anyone else," Ron said darkly, looking increasingly bitter, "If I can't be happy, you can't either. Its how it works Hermione."
"You've gone mental," Hermione growled, "Get out of my way."
"Be with me, 'Mione," Ron demanded, "We can find a way to make it work. Take our mind off things."
"Ron, honestly I have never been happier since I cut you out of my life and Fleur entered it," Hermione said, brutally honestly. Ron's ears reddened and he swayed unsteadily on his feet. Suddenly he scowled and shoved Hermione. Hermione flew backwards, her back hitting the bar painfully.
"You don't mean that," Ron spat drunkenly, his anger taking over.
"Of course I mean it," Hermione choked back, her anger matching Ron's, "I would rather be entirely alone than be with you."
"Well I guess that's what you're going to get, then," Ron roared, "You'll be all alone when I'm married to your stupid French whore."
Hermione lunged forward, swinging a punch with all the drunken force she could muster. It connected with Ron's face with a sickening crunch.
Bartenders leapt forward to pull the two apart as Ron began to shout wildly. The crowd in the bar began to flock around, murmuring with surprise at the two famous best friends in fisticuffs.
Fleur got home, still feeling full of rage at her father. She could not believe that he could put family pride over her happiness.
She took off her jacket before turning the lights on in the apartment. She jumped at the sight of Hermione, hunched over, sitting on the couch with her head in her hands.
"Hermione?" Fleur asked cautiously, "Are you okay?"
Hermione lifted her head from her hands. Her eyes looked unfocussed and she had a split lip. As Fleur drew closer she saw that her knuckles were swollen and red.
"Hermione?" Fleur asked, concern lacing her voice. She pulled out her wand and cast a quick spell to heal Hermione's lip.
"I… I know you're not gonna choose me," Hermione slurred.
"Hermione, what happened to you?" Fleur asked. Hermione gave a long shuddering sigh.
"Its bad enough that I have to lose you," Hermione said in a depressed tone, "But I have to lose you to fucking Ron."
"Its not like I want to marry him," Fleur said, scrunching her nose up in disgust.
"Fleur… Without you…" Hermione struggled to get out, "Fleur… I don't think I can manage without you in my life."
"Let me get some ice for your knuckles," Fleur said, rising from the couch. Hermione grabbed her wrist to stop her from leaving, tightly.
"I can't lose you," Hermione said desperately.
"Hermione… Let go," Fleur said softly. An intense look passed over Hermione's face but she obediently released Fleur's delicate wrist.
Fleur got up and walked over to the freezer, fishing out some ice before wrapping it in a cloth for Hermione. She returned to the sofa, sitting down beside Hermione. She took Hermione's hand carefully, resting it in her lap and pressing the ice to her knuckles.
"I punched Ron," Hermione admitted drunkenly.
"Hermione, really?!" Fleur exclaimed. She wasn't sure whether to laugh or scold the brunette.
"I just… I'm so furious," Hermione said darkly.
"Me too," Fleur agreed, "But there must be some way out of this without anyone getting hurt."
Hermione winced at the ice on her knuckles and Fleur lessened the pressure.
"Well…" Fleur said, looking at Hermione's bruised knuckles, "Without any more people getting hurt."