TFES CHAPTER THREE REWRITE

I stood outside of the Gryffindor portrait waiting on Hermione to exit her common room. I was vaguely aware of Madeline's energy at the edge of my senses before it disappeared completely. I felt myself relax, the tension in between my shoulders easing into a more relaxed position. It still feels like an invasion on my privacy to feel my cousins haunting my every step.

I could feel a headache starting to stir from the tension I held in my shoulders and sighed in annoyance. I hate this. If I wasn't such a coward, my problems will be solved. I clenched my hand into a fist with my nails digging into my palm.

-Hermione is dating someone that isn't me-

-if you werent a little girl about this. she would already be ours. let me out!-

I felt my Veela starting to fight inside of me, struggling to come towards the front of my mind and clawing at me as my mental presence met her before she by passed the boundaries that were set. I fought back, applying more of my will to push her back into the depths of her own 'side'.

She may be strong but she is a part of me. My will is stronger and Hermione did not deserve to be manhandled from my degenerate demon.

-no need to be so rude. brute.-

I scoffed and chose to ignore her for now. Maybe one day I would learn her name. For as long as I have had my Veela, she has never told me our name.

Madeline had told me that I would find out her name when I became Battle Ready. I pray to the Goddess that day is not for years but what I have been told in her lessons: it is coming. Under a certain set of biological and environmental criteria, my Veela will make her appearance and we will no longer be two separate beings that clash but more of two beings that meld together.

Maybe it was better this way anyway with Hermione spending less time with me, though I suffered, it gave me plenty of time to delve into my research and move the plans forward. Eva and I spent the last week sneakily handing out invitations to potential allies, inviting them and their families to my grandmother's "dinner". We had found that the other emissaries' families were from high political circles, like my paternal family. The goal was to introduce the students' families to each other, mostly my grandmother and cousins to work their magic.

I have to give Hermione one but I am nervous about her meeting my family. The Lady only knows what my dear cousins have told them. For a bunch of battle worn Veela, they sure are a bunch of gossipy hens- no bird jokes intended. They would make time to play their games and cause chaos in my life if they even suspected she was… special to me, which they probably do know at this point.

Gabrielle probably knows and she is studying abroad in Japan. Father did not want his precious baby Gabby to fall into Grandmere's hands and shipped her off last year when she turned sixteen. We were due back for the holidays-...

A noise makes me perk up and turn away from my internal thoughts. "Fleur? Are you brooding again?" Hermione appears in my vision; her cherub face was playful but there was a glint in her beautiful eyes that meant there was a seriousness to her question and she wanted a truthful answer. This stubborn attractive women had no idea what she did to me. She had instantly appeared behind any wall I had set up for protection, never had I felt so bare in front of someone so constantly. We had only known each other since September and we leave for Yule break tomorrow.

I wave my hand and glance down at the tips of my shoes. I couldn't look at that beautifully expressive face that shared every emotion she was feeling. Instead I studied my shoes like I had never seen these matte black pumps in my life. "Grandmere needs a few days in bed to relax due to her condition. She is stirring up the household because she is bored." She has sent me several letters and has been asking questions that she shouldn't be about Hermione. I need to talk with Madeline and Evangeline about how she found out about Hermione but they always seem to be missing when I attempt to find them. Cowards. We really are family

"But she will be okay? Does she have an immune system disorder or a heart disorder?" Hermione stepped closer until I could feel the heat radiating from her body. She took my hands and gasped, "Your hands are freezing! How long were you waiting out here? You are coming into my rooms right now!" She started to pull me towards the painting hanging on the wall, it was clear on the occupant's face that they had been listening the whole time and quickly looked away when I caught her gaze.

I stopped allowing her to pull me forwards and planted my feet. "We are going to this mysterious room of requirement and the walk will warm me up. This castle is full of drafty cold air." The Goddess must be laughing at this trick.

Her long dark hair shifted over her shoulders and ringlets framed her face just so to make my insides swoon, filling my stomach with butterflies that were trying to wildly escape their captivity. Her stare felt like it dug around in my soul for the answer instead of believing me words. She dropped my hand to dig through her bag and muttering to herself as she riffled through the monstrous eye sore. I focused on her hair. Her hair was one of her most fascinating features, it is like it had a mind of its own sometimes.

I clenched my hand, not daring to stare at it in awe. I felt like a total stalker as I felt the lingering warmth start to cool. I distantly wondered how true her words were. Without the sun, who knows how long I was standing there "brooding".

I craved every moment she touched me either voluntarily and on accident when we were sitting next to each other or walking around the halls. Her touch lit a fire in my soul.

I am a total coward.

This is how Daphne Greengrass ended up with this beautiful angel.

"Ah ha! I found it! Pepper Up potion!" She lifted a vial of potion from the depths of her bag and rushed forward to grab my hand she had previously dropped while using her other hand to lift the vial to mouth and her pearly white teeth appeared as she pulled the cork of the vial out with a pop. She shoved the vial into my free hand and unleashed a smile at me after she removed the cork from her teeth. "Come on! It is either this or my lair and you don't want that now do you?"

that is not all i want.- My Veela purred and nearly caused me to choke on the vial as I swallowed it down. -those beautiful lips touched the vial.-

I coughed out steam as I struggled to breathe. "There. I took the potion. Can we go now? I want to see this room!" I squeezed her hand before I painfully had to let go of it.

"The Room of Requirement, Fleur!" I heard her laugh echoing in my ears, causing my heart to flip and the butterflies to increase their fluttering in my stomach. "One more thing!" A sudden warmth enveloped my neck and shoulders. I turned to see her red and gold Gryffindor scarf was gone from around her neck.

I was shocked to the core. "'Ermione! I cannot take zis in good conscious!" I am embarrassed on the accent slipping out. I started to tug on the end and froze when she took my hands away from the scarf and adjusted it around me.

"I am used to the winters here. You can hardly stay warm in the silk clothing you wear. You ponce!" She smiled at me, her teeth bright against her caramel skin and the corners of her eyes were crinkled as she teased me about my clothing.I could never get tired of that smile.

I huffed and decided to not make a big deal over the scarf. Maybe I could swing it so I could keep her scarf over the Yule break. "I have warming spells on my clothing." I rolled my eyes and joined her when she started to lead us down the hall. I am definitely a disgusting stalker. Goddess forgive me.

"But not a spell to protect you against the drafty castle air! The reminds me of this book I was reading in the library. Do you know how hard it is to find books on weather spells or anything that comes close to it? Books just -talk- about them but never go into any sort of detail!"

I love when she starts in on her "I read about something in a book" monologues. I enjoy the passionate streams of concise words she uses with her body language and energy that stirs the air.

"Indeed, Hogwarts mostly focuses mainly on the light and slight neutral magical arts. At my school, we learn about light, neutral and dark arts. Not the Forbidden Arts, if we are caught even thinking about blood, necromancy or worse, the French Aurors would be swarming and snapping wands. We have nearly three times as many classes, there are more teachers and more of, 'ow to you say, strict set of rules with our research and free time."

Hermione gasped as we came to a stop to wait out the shifting stairs. "T-three times?" It caused me to smile and file away the memory of her sweet stutter. "What is your favorite class?"

"I have quite a few favorite classes, some I continue here. I attend Experimental Spell Crafting, Evolutionary and Transformational Astrology, and the Arts of Dueling." I smiled a bit wider when I saw her expressions flitting across her face and her eyes grow bigger with every second.

"Tell me everything about them! How do you have time for more classes? We have all of our extra classes together! Do you use a time Turner?" She looked around as as the staircase settled in a spot and allowed us to safely continue on into the next set of halls.

I am unsure why Hogwarts has an excessive amount of staircases and just as many halls when the castle doesn't appear that huge on the outside. Oh, how I would love to spend a lifetime searching through every corner of this place to unravel the secrets to how it was built. The spells and wards weaved together to make up every inch of the castle and grounds have to be considered a masterpiece.

"I have a strict schedule that starts early in the morning. Experimental Spell Crafting is a class built around teaching us the arts and research that go into the makings of more complex spells, like wards. First we learn about the boundaries and precautions in the then eventually we start building our own spells, the teacher is very hands on in every process and we deconstruct the spells in every possible way before we are allowed to try it out under their watchful eyes." This is one of the classes I attend off campus as Dumbledore did not approve of this on Hogwarts grounds.

I wouldn't mention this to Hermione as her group appears to be quite fond of their illustrious Headmaster.

"I wish we learned that here!" She looked up at me in awe. "Would you let me borrow your first class textbook if you still have it?" Her dark doe eyes changed into a form I could not say no to when paired with her lips turning into a pout.

I found myself falling further for this knowledge hungry witch and I distantly wondered when I would stop falling deeper into my feelings for her before I died of being a coward, too afraid to make her mine. "It is possible as it is in France. I will look for it if you promise to use a bookmark and not fold the corners." I keep a straight face as I watch her start to fluff up. I do enjoying teasing her about it as she goes on a long monologue of how cruel it is to "dog ear" a page; a muggle saying. The first time she went off, I sat for an hour listening to her words in awe.

"Hermione, darling, what took you so long to come down for dinner?" A voice drawled from near the doors that led into the Great Hall.

We turned to the snake that slithered out from the shadow it was lurking in. I heard my Veela growl and shift around in my mind. We both hated Daphne but the demon couldn't control its reaction every time we saw her.

Hermione stepped forward to greet her girlfriend. I tried to control the growing pressure I felt inside of me. The Veela was riled up when they kissed, anger broiling under the surface of my skin.

sneaky little snake. i wish you would let me smite them. then we wouldn't have to worry about that thing.

Sudden noise burst through the Veela's words.

"I had things to do. If you even bothered to listen to me yesterday, you would have known." Hermione stepped away from Greengrass and stood with her arms crossed over her chest. I watched long curls start to grow shorter and fluffier. I have never witnessed another person's magic manifest like this before. It is breathtaking to feel her magic start to grow in presence.

"Your beauty is distracting, little lion. Come sit with me." She sounded every bit of the condescending words the came out of her mouth. She doesn't deserve to have this fierce witch by her side and soon she would realize she would not win this game against the stubborn Gryffindor. Also...

The damned snake was encroaching on -my- scheduled time with Hermione. I clenched my teeth. No. If Hermione wanted to spend time with her girlfriend, who was I to stop her? I am just her friend. I fought to keep a neutral face as cool green eyes flicker over to me, sending a smug message to me. She's mine.

I scoffed. Did she even hear anything that was said? It makes me wonder if the potions she uses on her face have turned her brain to mush or if she was brought up this way. Hermione keeps a planner; it has her schedule, research, homework assignments, and bits of brightly colored parchment in it that she calls "sticky notes".

-let me rip her limb from limb!-

I batted the Veela's rage away. Now wasn't the time. I took a breath and pressed against her presence, forcing her back deep inside of my mind. I dread the day she is set loose in Hermione's presence.

Hermione scoffed, "It is like you can't hear anything that comes out of my mouth. I already told you: I am spending time with Fleur. I will also reiterate that if you want time with me, beyond my free time, you will need to schedule it. Just because you are my girlfriend doesn't change my routine. You can either accept it, or not date me. Good day!" She flicked her hair over her shoulder, grasped my elbow and dragged me along while she marched away from her hissing girlfriend.

After some time and allowing Hermione to sort herself out in her angry silence, she started to lose steam and slow her walk. Her grip on my elbow became more gentle until we came to a stop in the middle of the hall.

I couldn't see her face only the tendrils of hair on the back of her head that were starting to uncurl as her temperamental magic started to calm. A good sign. Her body was a step ahead of me, her arm stretched behind her with her hand loosely around my wrist. I have no idea what came over me.

With a small tug, I gently pulled her into my arms, tucking her face against my shoulder and stroked her hair. Her hands tangled themselves into my cloak and her body shook with sobs. I felt angry that Daphne would be so careless. I listen to everything Hermione says, I could probably recite her regular schedule, not because I am a stalker! It is because I am interested in her hobbies and her research. She is so incredibly brilliant.

My Veela whined in my mind. comfort our Angel.

I held her, swaying our bodies and crooning comfort to her in my mother tongue. I could feel her tears soaking into my shoulder. Her sniffling hurt my heart to listen to but soon she wasn't crying anymore.

"I am so sorry you had to see that. How embarrassing!" The words were muffled as she spoke them into the cloth of my cloak.

"I am sorry you fought with your girlfriend over me, you didn't have to. I would have understood if you would have rather spent your evening with her." I would have but her happiness is my own.

"It wasn't over you. I have been pushing her to come visit me during break but she won't make any solid plans." She stepped out of my arms, turning away from me to wipe her face with a cloth she pulled from her pocket. When she turned around, there was not a trace she had been crying. "Let's not let Greengrass ruin our evening. I made a promise and I plan on getting my last essay done so I can focus on your textbook when you find it." She started to walk away but my hand shot out by itself and held on to her wrist.

"Wait, 'ermione…" I could do this. "'ow about I bring you my textbooks and I can tutor you? I mean, not zat you will probably need it but-" Dear Goddess! What am I doing? I am way out of my element here. Why would she even hang out with me? Please Goddess, let this floor swallow me up!

Hermione's arms were around me as she jumped excitedly. "Yes! That is brilliant! My parents will be leaving for a convention the day after tomorrow. Will that be okay?"

Alone. With Hermione? No parents? The Goddess truly hates me.

if only we werent just her friend. The Veela drawled causing a feeling like cold water being dumped on me to pull me out of my panic.

"That is perfect. I can owl you when I find those books." How will I escape my Grandmere's questions now? The Goddess is surely hates me with all of these tricks she is pulling on me.

"It's a date!" She walked ahead of me now

Smite me now, Goddess. I no longer have any sort of courage. I will just send her invitation my owl in the morning. We would be gone before the sun rises in the morning.

I am the worst coward!