I guess it's been long enough, here's an update :)
Their childish debate had gone on, long into the night. Fleur had decided she did not like the taste of pineapple on pizza, much to the disappointment of the Weasley's, Ginny vowing to get a fruit pizza to change her mind, and Hermione continuing to insist that 'fruit pizza' was not 'pizza' despite the use of the word pizza and their similar appearances.
They'd all had several rounds of butterbeer and had stumbled out of the Leaky Cauldron as the bar closed. Ginny falling into Harry's side just ahead of Fleur and Hermione. Ron walked awkwardly to the side, closer to Harry and Ginny, though definitely feeling like the third wheel.
Without the group close by and comfortable surroundings of the Leaky Cauldron, conversation became awkward, stilted and tense between the two women. Hermione inwardly cringed as she attempted to talk to the blonde once more, the alcohol and the effects of Fleur's thrall invading her senses, scrambling her thoughts even more.
"So, uh, what... uhm," she cleared her throat, "what brought you here tonight?"
"'onestly, I do not know. Maybe we can talk?"
"Y-yeah, sure," she looked at Fleur expectantly.
"Alone." It was barely above a whisper but the look shared between them conveyed everything.
"Of course." The stilted silence once again resumed as the group trudged on.
They arrived at Harry's home soon enough, it was much safer in their inebriated state to use the Floo Network than to try and apparate. And so, without much fanfare, the group parted ways.
Hermione had, by this time sobered up considerably, though she was still feeling the effects of Fleur's thrall making thought difficult as she was continuously drawn to the blonde. She crossed the room, putting space between the two women, hoping that the space would help clear her thoughts as images of her jumping the woman flitted across her eyelids. She was amazed she'd managed to stop herself earlier.
"Could we start over?" The question broke the silence, Hermione wasn't sure who asked it. The voice sounding alien in the darkened room.
No reply came. A moment passed, and the shock faded, Hermione responded with a nod, then her voice caught up, "Yeah."
A burst of light casting long shadows across the room, Fleur tucked her wand back into its holster. Yellowish orange light illuminating her pale face, a slight smile appeared, nervous in her actions, she made her way to the couch and took a seat in the corner.
Hermione followed, sitting in the opposite corner, silence resumed between the two. They began to speak at the same time
"So-"
"Wha-" They both stopped, a nervous chuckle escaped from Hermione, Fleur looked at her expectantly.
"Go ahead."
"What do we do now? I can't just pretend you haven't broken the law."
"Zat is up to you," Fleur nervously fidgeted in her spot.
That certainly wasn't the answer the brunette had hoped for and she looked at the floor, lost in thought. She certainly didn't want to arrest the other woman but her boss would be expecting some results soon. She could quit, but then what would she do? And wouldn't someone else eventually crack the case? This wasn't a situation she'd even imagined herself in and she wasn't sure what the right thing was. Her mind screamed at her that she should arrest the thief but her heart told her to run away, disappear with the woman and hope they were never found.
"I don't know what to do," she pleaded with the other woman, looking up slowly, hoping that someone would tell her what to do next.
Fleur inched closer, "I cannot tell you what to do," her hand slowly reached out, "but I can only say what I would do in your position." Her tone was depressed, "I would have arrested me already, eager to further my career, but I have never allowed myself to have what I want."
Their eyes met, slowly, cautiously, searching each other out, wanting, needing. A pink tongue wetting red lips, Hermione's eyes dropped, catching the action before they came together, lips crashing in a messy kiss, desperation touching at the corners. It felt like home, she noted melting further into the blonde, common sense telling her this was wrong, that she shouldn't want it, telling her to do the right thing and end it now before she was too attached, but it was already too late, had been too late since their first meeting.
She finally pulled away, regaining her senses. A soft "I'm sorry" was whispered between them before she did what she had to do and took the blonde into custody, a tear trailing down her cheek as she bound Fleur with her magic and took her wand.
The next morning the precinct was abuzz with the news of Aphrodite's arrest, every witch and wizard had stopped to congratulate Hermione, though the young witch was not proud of her actions.
Amelia Bones had called her to her office already, impressed with her work, they had spent the majority of the morning going over the details of the case, wanting to make sure it was airtight, she wouldn't let Aphrodite be freed over a technicality. Of course, that was what Hermione was hoping for, or a loophole or well, anything really, because she knew if the blonde was convicted, she'd never see her again.
Visitors weren't allowed to Azkaban and that was where she'd be sentenced to. As it was, she was still currently being held at the Ministry, waiting until she could be transported there. There wasn't much hope for the other witch, Veritaserum was likely to be allowed at the trial which was really just a formality.
The evidence against Fleur was too strong, she had after all used her thrall in an attempt to rob Hermione, and could be placed at every crime scene, in fact, her thrall would likely be her downfall as the victims were drawn to her.
She also knew that the Wizengamot would be hesitant to release the blonde to her given her abilities. And so she headed to the holding room, hoping to avoid being caught by anyone. At this point it was unusual for anyone to need to visit the prisoner.
Borrowing Harry's invisibility cloak would have been much easier but she was desperate to see Fleur and logical thought was beginning to escape her in her need.
She slipped through the last door easily enough, almost too easily, she thought when out of the shadows stepped two guards, wands drawn. The guard on the right shouting "Petrificus Totalus!" and Hermione felt her body go stiff.
The guard on the left smirked and called for Amelia Bones, "Looks like we've got ourselves an accomplice."
The stern witch soon appeared, circling around Hermione, hands behind her back, "Well, I should have known."
She paused, stopping to examine her young protege closely, "Your behavior of late has been quite strange, I had begun to wonder about you, but this, I didn't think you'd try something as stupid as this."
She stopped her monologue, patting down the brunette in search of her wand. When she located it, she quickly took possession and cast Rennervate. Hermione dropped to her knees, feeling lightheaded after being frozen in position for so long.
"Now, what do you have to say for yourself?"
"I wasn't doing anything."
"Really? Then why are you down here?"
The silence stretched on as she searched for a valid excuse. Staring at the stone floor, she racked her brain, but nothing came to mind, there was no reason she could come up with that wouldn't make her seem like an accomplice.
"Well?" Amelia had grown impatient and began to demand an answer.
"I'm not sure," she spoke softly, "sh-she must have been using a spell on me." Her heart broke as she spoke the words aloud, but she couldn't end up like Fleur, if she too was behind bars, she'd be useless in helping her love.
Strong hands grabbed her roughly as she was hauled back onto her feet and pulled out of the room. They let go of her before entering back into a public space, Amelia looking at her firmly, "I'm sure it was a spell and nothing more." She looked Hermione in her eyes, as if daring her to say something else before continuing on, "As such, I am going to put you on leave, you've been working too hard with this case. Go home and don't come back until after the sentencing or else I will be forced to take a more severe action with your transgression. Understood?"
Hermione had no choice, nodding solemnly, she left the premises. Her mind was already working on another plan to free Fleur.