Chapter 22.

Hermione and Fleur trailed behind Harry and Ginny as they walked through the narrow streets on their way to meet up with other Order members.

Hermione's hand was protectively on Fleur's waist as they walked, wandering down subconsciously to cup Fleur's ass.

"Hermione," Fleur murmured.

"Sorry," Hermione muttered, moving her hand back up to Fleur's waist.

"Its just… Still a bit tender from before," Fleur said, blushing a little. Hermione blushed too. They had gone for another round before meeting the others, Hermione incorporating spanking into their already playful sex-life. Fleur had loved it, but she was still feeling the after effects.

"Erm… Sorry about that," Hermione said awkwardly. Fleur smirked.

"Its okay," Fleur replied, "It was sexy."

"Hermione!" Harry called from ahead. Hermione groaned at Harry's bad timing.

"Yeah, I'm right behind you," Hermione replied shortly.

Harry and Ginny disappeared into a small shed, Hermione and Fleur following them.

Inside was dimly lit with lanterns. Most of the other Order members were already there, standing around on the dirt floor. A few eyes turned to look at Hermione's arm around Fleur, disbelief evident on their faces. Fleur supposed it had been a long time since they had seen most of them.

Molly Weasley shot a filthy look their way. Kingsley Shacklebolt consulted a pocketwatch, seeming uninterested in Hermione and Fleur. Tonks blew some bubblegum until it popped, breaking the awkward silence in the room.

"So you two really are together, huh?" Tonks commented, eying Fleur and Hermione. Her hair, forever changing on the metamorphmagus, was styled in a blue bob.

"Yeah, we are," Hermione said defensively.

"Hot," Tonks shrugged.

Molly cast a look of disapproval at Tonks, clearing her throat.

"Right, we should probably get started," Kingsley boomed, "We have a number of locations they could be at. We're going to need to split into smaller groups if we want to hit them all in time."

Hermione kept her eyes firmly on the ground, Fleur could tell she was still not a hundred percent on her decision to save Ron. Hermione and Fleur were put in a group with Harry, Ginny and Tonks. Fleur was silently thankful that at least they weren't put in a group with Molly.

The group of five left the shed in silence. Ginny and Harry led the way, Harry struggling to keep up with the redhead as she strode with purpose.

"Surprised to see you two here," Tonks commented airily as she walked beside Hermione and Fleur. Fleur raised an eyebrow at her.

"What do you mean?" Hermione asked. Tonks continued to chew at her gum.

"Harry told me about how Ron's been behaving," Tonks said, blowing another bubble.

"He did?" Fleur asked, surprised.

"Well, I got it out of him anyway," Tonks shrugged.

They walked along in silence for a while, winding through back alleys of London.

"You know… You could have told me you were into women, Fleur," Tonks said, "I would be the last one to judge."

"You mean during the war?" Fleur asked. She shook her head, "I was still very much in denial then."

"Hmmn, that's a shame," Tonks commented, still chewing.

"Easy," Hermione growled.

"You two are hot together," Tonks laughed, "So possessive of each other."

"Erm, thanks I suppose," Fleur replied, leaning into Hermione more.

"Tonks, maybe we could focus on the task at hand," Hermione said stiffly.

"Still bossy, I see," Tonks smirked, "But yeah, this particular place we're going to hasn't had much heat for a while. It used to be a right nest of Death Eaters, a place they often dragged unfortunate souls to. But, hey, maybe we'll luck out and there will be a lead there."

"Great, so we're going to the dud location," Hermione groaned.

"What? You want to face off against Death Eaters?" Fleur asked her girlfriend in disbelief. Hermione had barely got through the worst of her PTSD. Fleur couldn't imagine why on earth she would want to go right back into the thick of it.

"I get ya, Hermione," Tonks commented, jamming her hands in her pockets, "It is a little insulting to be sent to the safe location. But its obviously just because we're the youngest of the lot."

"Ridiculous," Hermione rolled her eyes, "You'd think we hadn't saved the world from Voldemort. Suppose I got that Order of Merlin for nothing?"

"Preaching to the converted here," Tonks said, waving a hand dismissively, "Anyway, spose Harry deserves a break from being the one in the roughest situation."

They looked ahead to where Harry and Ginny had begun to bicker.

"In Death Eater terms, anyway," Tonks added with a smirk.

Hermione and Fleur exchanged glances, unsure of what to make of Tonks. Fleur had spent time with her while they had been in the Order together during the war, but nowhere near enough to tell whether she was a good sort or not.

"Right, we're here," Ginny called from ahead.

"Could you yell that any louder," Hermione hissed as they caught up to Harry and Ginny outside a ramshackle flat, "Maybe you should just send them an owl letting them know we're on our way while you're at it."

Ginny rolled her eyes but went silent.

"If it gets bad, we get out, okay?" Harry said gruffly, as they all withdrew their wands.

"Yeah, yeah, we get the gist," Tonks commented, blowing another bubble with her gum.

Harry ran forward, kicking the door down heavily.

"He doesn't go for subtle, does he?" Tonks muttered, following the raven haired boy into the building.

Ginny followed her.

Hermione and Fleur brought up the rear, heading into the dark flat.

Fleur cast a lumos that flickered light onto the drab walls. The wallpaper was peeling off in strips. Fleur could see stains and cigarette burns in the threadbare carpet they were treading on. She reached out in the dim light and took Hermione's hand tightly.

The group stalked through each room, wands high and shoulders tense.

"Doesn't look like anyone's in here," Ginny said finally.

"There's a basement," Tonks informed them, gesturing at a door. Hermione was closest and went to enter, but Fleur grabbed her by the arm.

"I'll go first," Fleur insisted. Hermione opened her mouth to object, but Fleur was too fast for her, leaping down the stairs ahead.

Fleur couldn't say the words out loud, but there was a part of her that just couldn't take it if Hermione got seriously injured while saving Ron of all people.

Fleur had only just got down the stairs when a beam of green light shot at her. Fleur barely had time to dodge, pulling Hermione out of harm's way with her.

"Merlin!" Tonks cursed, hot on their heels.

There were around seven cloaked figures in the room, who all had their wands raised. Fleur threw a disarming spell which hit one of the figures in the chest. He gasped as his wand arced out of his hand. Hermione hit him with a stunning spell a split second later, causing the disarmed Death Eater to fall to the floor unconscious.

Harry was already duelling with another Death Eater. Ginny was throwing off protection charms as fast as she could, trying to help shield the group.

"Fuck!" Tonks cursed as a nasty stinging hex caught her on the arm. Fleur's eyes widened as Tonks' arm swelled up with excruciating looking blisters and burns.

"Crucio!"

Ginny fell to the floor now, screaming.

Fleur stepped forward, slashing at the air violently.

One of the masked figures fell. Harry stunned the one he had been duelling. Four left now.

Harry was thrown back into a wall, letting out a pained yelp as he collided with the brick before crumpling to the floor. Hermione stunned the Death Eater that hit him, taking advantage of the fact they were distracted by Harry. Three left.

Fleur noted with relief that Harry was shakily getting back on his feet, brushing himself off and looking for his wand.

"Crucio!"

Fleur felt all the air whoosh out of her lungs. The sudden sensation of a thousand white hot knives was stabbing her flesh. She fell to her knees, a scream ripping out of her searing lungs. She shut her eyes tightly. Even they felt like they were having knives stabbed into them. It was excruciating. Fleur was in agony, writhing on the floor, oblivious to everything except the all-invasive pain.

Fleur struggled to keep a hold of consciousness as the pain increased, before finally, thankfully, fading away.

"Fleur?"

Fleur opened her eyes, Hermione was bent over her, her face stricken.

"Hermione," Fleur replied. Her voice was hoarse from screaming.

There was a whoosh! and a flash of light as Hermione was thrown from Fleur's side, tossed into the wall at the far end of the room like Harry had been. Fleur scowled, grabbing her wand from the floor beside her and hexing the Death Eater who had hit Hermione.

Hermione staggered back to Fleur's side, looking a little dazed from her fall.

"Stupefy!" Harry hit the last remaining Death Eater, finally clearing the room.

"Ron!" Hermione gasped, suddenly seeing what the Death Eaters had been standing in front of. In a crumpled bloody pile was the limp and pale body of Ron Weasley.

Fleur froze, a feeling of dull horror coursing through her as Hermione ran to the body. Ginny, standing behind Fleur, fell to her knees, paling.

"Ron!" Hermione sobbed, now on her knees beside Ron's body.

Harry walked forward, almost in a trance, coming to join Hermione beside Ron on the floor.

Tonks quietly moved to put her arm around Ginny, who was now shaking and shuddering as if there were an icy chill in the air.

"Ron! Say something!" Hermione cried, shaking Ron's shoulders.

Fleur stood rooted to the spot. She didn't know what to do. Ron had been truly awful, but she had hardly wanted him to actually die.

There was a faint gurgling noise and Hermione and Harry sat up straight. Fleur took a step forward as the crumpled figure of Ron twitched.

"I…"

"Ron?!" Harry exclaimed, hearing the faded groan.

"I fucking deserved it…" Ron managed hoarsely, before falling back into unconsciousness.

Hermione, Harry and Ginny had been at Ron's bedside at St Mungo's non stop since they had recovered him from the Death Eater flat.

Fleur was relieved that all of the Death Eaters they had stunned had been rounded up by Aurors and were going to be held to justice.

Fleur was walking into St Mungo's, her heels clicking loudly in the antiseptic empty hallways. She was dressed in a simple form fitting dress, a warm wool peacoat and had a fashionable leather handbag on her shoulder. Her long platinum blonde hair was streaming down her back.

Fleur's face was impassive, as always, but inside she was worried about her Hermione. The brunette seemed to be shouldering a lot of the blame for the situation Ron had ended up in. An awful lot, in Fleur's opinion, considering how terrible Ron had been to her.

The crowd of flaming haired figures standing in the hallway signalled that Fleur had reached Ron's room.

Bill Weasley, spotting Fleur, immediately stepped forward and engulfed her in a hug. His beard scratched her cheek as he kissed it.

"Fleur, you didn't have to join the search to find him… But Merlin, I'm so glad you guys did find him before it was too late."

They parted and Fleur could see the tell-tale shininess in Bill's eyes signalling that he was holding back tears.

"Bill, he will be fine," Fleur said softly. Bill nodded, swallowing heavily.

"Yeah," Bill grunted, scratching his beard, "Anyway, this is my girlfriend, Sophia."

A pretty woman with straight brown hair stepped forward, smiling at Fleur.

"I've heard a lot about you, Fleur," Sophia said, "Its nice to finally meet you."

"You too," Fleur smiled, leaning in to kiss Sophia politely on each cheek.

Fleur now turned her attention to the rest of the cluster waiting outside the room. There was Percy, wiry glasses smudged and his usually preened hair in disarray; Charlie, muscular and sun-burnt, looking surprisingly vulnerable; George, the lone twin, tears streaming down his face; Arthur, rubbing his sweating forehead intermittently; Ginny, pale and quiet; and Molly, who had spotted Fleur and was marching towards her. Fleur stiffened.

Molly came forward, short and matronly, gripping Fleur's arms in her hands without preamble. Fleur could see Bill and Sophia tense beside her, also unsure of Molly.

"Fleur," Molly said seriously, "We've had our differences,"

"Oui," Fleur was unsure of where this was going.

"But," Molly was suddenly choked by tears, "You and Hermione brought my boy back home. Even after the disagreements between you all."

Fleur bit her tongue, wanting to comment on the extent of the 'disagreements,' but decided against it.

"We couldn't leave him there to die," Fleur finally replied, "And it wasn't just us. Tonks, Ginny and Harry were there too."

"I know," Molly nodded, "But you didn't have to go. You didn't have to put your life on the line like that."

"Erm, it was nothing," Fleur felt suddenly awkward, unused to Molly's approval.

"I can admit when I was wrong," Molly continued, "I just want you and Hermione to know that we consider you both family, regardless of any tiffs we've had in the past."

"Right," Fleur nodded, stunned.

"Hermione is in there with Harry," Molly said, nodding towards the door, "We're trying not to crowd poor Ron. But you can head in there now if you want."

Fleur nodded and the rest of the Weasleys shuffled around to let her through the door. Fleur, still entirely thrown by the entire encounter with the family, caught Bill's eye, who flashed her an encouraging smile.

Fleur entered the hospital room, expecting to see a room as clinical and sterile as the rest of the hospital. To her surprise, the Weasleys had obviously decorated Ron's room. The walls were absolutely plastered in posters of the Chudley Cannons, Fleur assumed this must be his favourite Quidditch team. Clashing terribly with the bright orange, were large Gryffindor banners dotted amongst the Cannons posters. Hermione and Harry were sitting beside Ron's bed, which was absolutely heaped in brightly coloured, lumpy knitted blankets.

Hermione rose to greet Fleur, throwing her arms around Fleur's neck and kissing her chastely on the lips. Fleur could feel Hermione's body trembling a little against hers.

"Are you okay?" Fleur asked gently.

"Just… Just shaken up," Hermione murmured back, "It was like we were right back there… In the war… I was so sure someone was going to die."

"No-one did, mon amour," Fleur whispered back, "You are safe."

She kissed Hermione gently, before the brunette released her.

"How are you two?" Fleur asked, now directing her attention to Harry and Ron. The boys had been politely looking away during the quiet exchange between the women.

"Been better," Harry shrugged, "Broke my finger when I was tossed into a wall during the fight. Seems cruel to have to endure the taste and feel of Skele-Grow for such a small break."

Harry grimaced at the memory and Hermione and Fleur laughed. Their attention now awkwardly turned to Ron.

He was still looking peaky, pale and lightly sweating, his hair stuck to his head.

"I'm… I'm getting there," Ron said awkwardly, before reaching for a glass of water. His hands were shaking and Harry leant in to help him.

"Here ya go, mate," Harry said quietly, helping Ron to drink.

"Fleur… I mean… It obviously goes without saying…" Ron said hoarsely, looking down, "You and Hermione…"

"I know," Fleur replied politely, deciding to take pity on him and not force him to say the words.

Hermione snaked an arm around Fleur's waist, squeezing it tightly.

"We're gonna head off now, Ron," Hermione said, "Rest up, okay?"

Ron nodded as Hermione and Fleur left the room. As soon as they exited, Ginny and Molly eagerly pushed through into the room for their turn visiting Ron.

Hermione and Fleur walked a little bit down from the Weasleys, Hermione leaning against a wall and sighing heavily.

"You okay?" Fleur asked, taking Hermione's hand. Hermione nodded.

"I just… I feel so conflicted," Hermione admitted, "He's been my best mate for so long… But I'm still so angry about what he put us through."

"I know," Fleur replied, "He was horrible."

"But… You saw the shakes and his sweating, right?" Hermione asked, her eyes meeting Fleur's. Fleur nodded, confused.

"What of it?" Fleur asked.

"He's going through withdrawals," Bill interrupted, Sophia and him joining Hermione and Fleur. Hermione nodded.

"Its clear he needs professional help for alcohol and drug addiction," Hermione replied with a heavy sigh, "Not that that excuses his behaviour at all… But maybe explains why he wasn't thinking so rationally."

Fleur nodded, digesting this information.

"We're getting him help," Bill said gravely, "Enough is enough. I think the situation he ended up in is evidence enough that he's not looking after himself."

"That's good," Hermione said, although she still looked in shock.

They said their goodbyes and Hermione and Fleur headed home, hand in hand. Fleur kept sneaking glances at Hermione, checking that the brunette was okay.

When they finally got home, Hermione silently walked in, stripping down to her underwear and climbing into bed. Fleur followed her, climbing in next to her and wrapping her arms around the brunette. Hermione's body began to shake as she started to sob.