So, here's some fluff, kinda... ? Err... maybe not... enjoy though? and sorry for the delay... i had a surprise surgery thursday and had to spend the weekend recovering. but here's this.

Fleur returned home, Bill following along behind. For a moment, Fleur remembered just how easy her relationship with the eldest Weasley had been, though she had no desire to be with him again, the two did make a good pair, falling into step seamlessly. They worked side by side in a comfortable silence, chopping vegetables, searing meat, working around each other and with the other as they made dinner the muggle way.

It was something they had discovered they shared during the course of their relationship, it had helped to calm the both of them, a sort of stress reliever, despite it being slower, they both preferred a muggle cooked meal to a magical one.

They had even taken a class together, both laughing at their lack of knowledge on the subject, unsure of what the utensils even were that the instructor had spoken of, and their mutual surprise when the whisk didn't actually remove anything.

The two had started off working in silence but then a teasing comment from Bill led to Fleur throwing some extra flour at him, and he threw a carrot at her, eventually causing quite the mess and their dinner to be mostly forgotten about. The two were laughing wholeheartedly at the other, amid a mess of food remnants when Hermione and Ron arrived home.

The tension between them was palpable, and while Ron found the scene entertaining, his brother wearing an apron printed with a female body in a bikini and covered in flour and some lettuce protruding from his hair while Fleur was drenched in what he hoped was water, her silk shirt clinging to her body, she had foregone the apron and also had white patches covering her black pants, she looked largely unscathed otherwise. Hermione, however, was not so entertained.

The two attempted to right themselves as quickly as possible, feeling the anger rolling off Hermione in waves, they had quickly become serious.

"The hell were you two thinking?!" she yelled, furious at the mess in the kitchen, "Clean this shit up!"

Fleur turned to Bill and whispered, "I think you should leave," before casting a cleaning charm to rectify their mess. Fear had crept into her words as she hoped Bill wouldn't argue with her request. Hermione had already turned to leave the room followed by Ron who had looked at them helplessly and shrugged, unsure of what had just happened.

Bill looked solemnly at his friend before nodding and disapparating with a pop, leaving Fleur alone in the kitchen. She took a moment to gather herself, deciding that the kitchen was once again spotless, all signs of their food fight sufficiently erased. Fleur cleaned herself finally before she exited the kitchen, and seeing Hermione sitting on the couch, went to her side, taking her spot upon the floor at the brunette's feet.

She was unsure of what Ron knew, but she did not want to test the temper of the younger witch. He looked at them curiously, watching the interaction between them, unable to hide his surprise when Hermione reached out and began to pet the blonde roughly, she whispered an apology, begging for forgiveness, she had not expected Hermione to be home until late after all.

A tense moment followed, where Fleur hid her eyes, watching the floor closely, tears threatening to fall. Hermione sat, a thoughtful look upon her face before it suddenly changed to anger and she grabbed a handful of long blonde locks, pulling back, forcing Fleur to look at her, a gasp of pain escaping her lips.

"We will discuss your punishment later," she growled before violently releasing the blonde, shoving her towards the floor. Fleur stayed there, cowering at Hermione's feet.

"The fuck is wrong with you, 'Mione?" Ron questioned angrily, unable to believe what he had just witnessed.

She chose to ignore him, instead commanding Fleur to go to her room and wait for her. Fleur quickly fled from the room, not wanting to anger her master any more, the collar around her neck feeling heavy and constricting, its presence felt more clearly now than it had ever been before.

Fleur didn't hear any of the ensuing discussion despite the silence surrounding her in her room as she sat curled up on her bed, waiting as instructed. She wasn't sure how much time had passed, only that it was very late when her door creaked open, allowing a tiny sliver of light to illuminate the darkness around her. She flinched as the light blinded her, recoiling as though she had been struck. She felt a weight on the bed next to her as the mattress sank.

Hermione spoke, her commands abrupt and unyielding. The blonde dropped to the floor, kneeling in front of her master. She wasn't prepared for what was to come, a physical punishment, she mentally checked out as her body obeyed the commands it was given. She felt her pants pool at her ankles as she was bent over the younger witch. The sounds of skin smacking skin echoed in the silence, 1... 2... 3... she counted.

The stinging continued, drops of water pricking her eyes, she refused to let them fall, she would not lose that bit of dignity. It was all she had left, her bond had ensured she had nothing else. The stinging eventually faded to a dull ache, the sensation lessening, she'd lost count long ago.

It was surreal, she was watching everything happening as though it wasn't her, floating above her body, she only returned when it stopped and she felt a pair of lips tenderly pressed against her back, "You're such a good girl," murmured against her skin.

A loving set of hands this time, so different from the last, slid down her body, touching every inch of skin, worshiping every curve, "I don't like punishing you, you know, you'd been such a good girl too, it was really only a matter of time." The voice that spoke was calm and detached, as though this situation was merely an inconvenience.

She was pulled into a kiss, those hands connected to strong arms, firm in their determination, pulling her closer as though even the thin layer of clothes between them was too much distance. It was loving, tender, filled with emotion, a promise of what they could be, the past already forgotten between them. That was what pushed her over the limit, tears came pouring out as sure hands found their way to the hem of her shirt, tugging at it, lifting it up. The kiss only broken to rid themselves of the distance between them. She felt loved, wanted and needed like never before as Hermione admired every bit of her skin, grazing it with her lips, tongue and teeth, nipping at her lightly and teasing her more sensitive areas.

Fleur could feel herself coming undone unlike she had ever done before, held closely by her lover, her mate, her master. She dared not dwell on how easily that last word flitted into her mind, how natural it felt. The term secretly exciting her as much as it terrified her, she cleared her mind of any thought, focusing on the here and now, and the amazing things the younger woman was doing to her.

Hermione's name ripped through her body in a scream as nimble fingers stroked her core, her body trembling beneath the brunette, satisfaction consuming her like never before.

The words escaped her mouth before she could even realize she'd said them, "I love you."

It wasn't the first time they'd been said, but so much had changed since the last time they were said. And this time she felt more emotionally stripped than before, the weight of the words sinking between the pair. She was answered with a tender kiss, a trail leading down her body, an answer being foregone in exchange for more pleasure. She pretended not to notice the lack of response, pretended it didn't wound her soul, ignored that the other witch had said them first last time. Things certainly had changed between them.