Y'all, my muse is tired of the pain I keep inflicting on these two. So, here's another update, I've got one coming for my other story too, but for longer bits of happier writing check out Safety Brief. They needed some happiness in their lives. In the mean time, I'm trying to wade through writers block and keep it moving without the mess that usually follows.

Fleur was alone when she woke up, her own room looking unfamiliar to her after having spent so many nights in Hermione's. Sounds of pans clanking from the kitchen filled her small shared apartment. She quickly rose and wrapped a pastel pink, silk robe around her. She didn't bother with any lingerie, assuming it would just be her and Hermione in the apartment and the short fabric lightly brushed against the tops of her thighs. It left little to the imagination, but she really had nothing to hide from her mate.

She made her way to the kitchen, smelling the sweet, chocolate-y aroma of her favorite coffee brewing. Fleur froze momentarily upon entering the other room, seeing a shock of red hair and a blocky build she recognized as Ron. He quickly averted his eyes and began to focus intently on his coffee. Fleur turned to go back to her room when she was frozen in place by a decidedly feminine voice, "No, stay."

Fleur closed her eyes, rooted in her spot, before she turned back to the group and committing to her mistake, she readied her nerves and fully entered the room, making a beeline for the coffee pot. She was going to pretend this was her choice, not a command.

An awkward silence filled the room, Ron attempting his best to keep his eyes averted, a light blush coloring his cheeks. And a moment of realization passed, she never heard the door or the sounds of anyone apparating last night. Fleur couldn't hide the blush that happened as she finally understood, he had been present the night before and had most likely heard the events that had transpired between her and his fiancee (her mate).

She too averted her eyes, not envying the position he was in. At least she had no real choice in the matter, whatever Hermione wanted, she would undoubtedly have. The only one who didn't pick up on the uncomfortable situation they were in seemed to be Hermione.

Fleur had never expected the other woman to flaunt their relationship (if it could even be called that) so openly in front of her... honestly she wasn't sure what Ron was anymore. She couldn't help the pang of guilt that struck upon that realization. He had sat back and accepted whatever the younger witch would give him, without complaint. He hadn't been hostile to Fleur, in fact, he seemed rather understanding of the situation, not to mention concerned about her.

And yet, she felt she had betrayed him, engaging in an affair with his bride to be. The three of them sat around the table, both Ron and Fleur trying to avoid catching the other's eye while Hermione read the newspaper in front of her, absent-mindedly chewing on a croissant. Could she really be that oblivious to the awkward situation she had put them all in?

Finally Fleur had had enough, "May I be excused?" she asked pointedly, determined to not show any emotions.

She wasn't even given the dignity of a response, rather Hermione just waved her hand, not even looking up from her paper, but it was enough of a dismissal that Fleur was allowed to leave.

When she exited the room, she finally felt as though she could breath again, the tension suffocating her more than she had realized. She quietly slipped back into her room, hiding there until she heard the pop of at least one of them disapparating.

She dressed silently, trying not to make any noise, hoping they would forget about her presence. Fleur picked a suit, trying to use her clothes to regain some sense of privacy that had been ripped away from her, a sense of self she hadn't realized she'd been lacking until it had all been taken.

Not willing to take the risk of leaving her room and walking to work, she disapparated when she was ready to go. Appearing just outside Gringott's with a pop, she gathered her resolve, finding life was starting to take a toll on her. Merely existing was becoming a chore, and it wasn't one she enjoyed either.

She was greeted at the door, as was steadily becoming a ritual, by Bill, who offered her a cup of coffee, which she gladly took, clutching it between both of her hands as though its existence was the only thing she could be sure of.

"What's going on?" he questioned gently, placing a soft hand on her shoulder and slouching to meet her height. She was only a couple inches shorter than him, but in this state, she seemed much smaller than normal. Concern shone brightly in his eyes as he studied her appearance.

Fleur tried to shrug away from him, turning her head and hiding her eyes.

"Come on, you can talk to me, hun, I won't tell anyone." His voice was soft, barely above a whisper, and though he was pushing more than he had before, he made sure to control his tone. She was fragile, her mind still working through the events that had taken place the night before and this morning. She was ashamed, hurt that Hermione, her mate would treat her that way, confused over her enjoyment of that treatment, and ashamed that it hadn't been just the two of them. She wasn't sure how to deal with all her conflicting emotions at the moment and it was hurting her.

He pulled her into a gentle hug, and whispered "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to, but please just listen to me, it's okay to be feeling whatever you're feeling right now. Don't ignore your emotions to make others happy. We're all here for you if or when you want to talk, but until then, remember, your feelings are valid."

She nodded into Bill's shoulder, unable to trust herself to speak, tears threatening to fall at his act of kindness. It felt like forever since she had been treated kindly without any ulterior motive. She had even lost much of her trust in Hermione's actions which destroyed her. If she couldn't trust her mate, who could she trust?

Fleur stayed like that for a long moment, unable to let go, savoring true kindness, missing what she used to have with him, how gentle he was, always patient and understanding. How far she had fallen since then. She took a deep breath and finally pulled away.

"I don't know what's happened to her," she whispered.

Bill nodded in understanding, not pushing her for more information but ready to listen when she was ready to speak.

"It's like she's a different person since then. I can't even recognize her anymore, like she's controlling and power hungry and she's not my Hermione now." Large tears were now falling as she fell back into Bill's embrace, she'd said more than she ever intended to and she couldn't stand anyone seeing her as weak but she couldn't stop it now. All her emotions that had been tossed carelessly from one end to the other and back were bursting to escape. She'd started and they wouldn't stop.

Bill stood there, arms wrapped around her, rubbing her back lightly, trying to comfort the quiet, broken woman before him. He wasn't sure what all had happened, but he vowed to find out. He would be there and he would support his friend however he could, he'd never seen her as broken and damaged as she was now, even with everything they had been through together. He couldn't help but wonder what Hermione had done to her.