Chapter V
White Blouse

Hermione watched Fleur exit the class but she knew what devastating effects this curse could have, she couldn't be fine after that... Without looking at Professor Snape, the brunette also hurried out of the door at the heels of the quarter Veela who was clutching her head while making her way down the corridor, sometimes taking a moment to lean against a wall before continuing. The young witch knew that she risked getting detention with Snape for being late to class, sneaking in, and now leaving before being dismissed, but she felt intense worry for the Auror. For a moment, Hermione felt conflicted about how she felt about Fleur, who was someone she usually just felt annoyance for. It couldn't be the thrall this time considering she'd been subjected to the cruel spell.

According to Gilderoy's book about Veela, the story he undoubtedly stole from another poor bloke who actually went through the events, being subjected to Aegritudo meant suffering physically and mentally. Apparently the spell only targeted a Veela where they were most vulnerable. The book stated that the thrall originated from the heart, strengthened by good memories. In other words, that curse would feel like a Dementor sucking out every single good thought from your mind, while casting a Cruciatus on the heart. Hermione remembered shuddering at the thought. She hoped that after the war, perhaps the Wizarding world could bring to light all horrible spells against Magical Creatures, and ban them all. Maybe then, could they all live without discrimination or fear of one another...

The brunette heard Madame Pomphrey admit Fleur in with her usual doting and warm voice. "Please come in! Come in! He did what now"!

She felt silly standing at the opened door like that, unsure if she should go in and make herself known. So instead, Hermione stood there, at the door, just watching the pair as Fleur got undressed at one of the beds. The younger witch froze. Wait. She shouldn't just be staring at the Auror undressing, and why wasn't Madame Pomphrey pulling the blinds? Internal panic aside, Hermione's face turned a deep shade of scarlet before she stepped to the side. She did unintentionally manage to get a glimpse of Fleur's back before she closed her eyes and hid herself in shame behind the wall. If she wasn't so embarrassed she'd have been jealous of her perfect milky skin, but Hermione did noticed a dark bruise marking that perfect back. She wondered if Fleur also had a similar bruise on her chest, as if an entry wound to the spell.

The familiar sound of sliding curtains put Hermione more at ease as she waited. Should she go in now? Or would Fleur find it weird that she followed her? Or worse yet, a bad student for having left an ongoing class?

It was unlike Hermione to feel so indecisive, but she felt incredibly embarrassed for having peeped while the quarter Veela had been undressing. So instead, she found herself just standing there in an empty hall by the infirmary's door while eavesdropping on what was being said.

"Fleur, honestly..." Hermione could mentally see Madame Pomphrey give the Auror one of her signature worried pursed lips and furrowed brow.

"Severus didn't warn me, I had no idea I was going to be subject to the curse this early on," replied Fleur, voice clearly irritated.

"Yes... that doesn't surprise me at all, not with Professor Snape. Can you hold still dear?"

There was a shuffle of fabric, a pause, and then an exhale of pain through grit teeth. At least, that's what it sounded like to the brunette who couldn't help herself but steal another peek. The silhouette of Fleur was just as breathtaking as seeing her normally. Hermione cursed at herself before closing her eyes and returning where she had been previously. "Damn these teenage hormones," she thought.

"Well my dear, this might help with the pain but I can't seem to get rid of the bruise. Do you mean to say that this was supposed to happen later during the school year- now, now, no need to swear"

"We agreed that we'd work the students up to the point to being able to cast the spell," Fleur replied after swearing a few times in french while Madame Pomphrey was healing her. That earned her an indignant gasps from the older lady. Hermione didn't know Madame Pomphrey understood French curses, but then again, she'd tended to Beauxbatons during her fourth year.

"I can certainly tell you that it's not good for you taking on such a horrible curse, your heart took a hit," continued the healer. A sigh and reshuffling of clothes. Fleur thanked Madame Pomphrey for the care before making her way out.

"I see I had a little peeping tom," the Auror arrived at the door much sooner than Hermione anticipating. The younger witched jumped but quickly regained composure.

"I came to see if you were alright, Fleur," Hermione was very thankful at the moment for her thick unruly hair from being under the invisibility cloak earlier, it possibly hid a bit of her flushing face. Fleur had exited the room only dressed in her white blouse that had been beneath her long, heavy coat and sleeveless vest. While it suited her very much, and gave better justice to her beautiful curves, Hermione couldn't help but notice a bit of a burn mark on the blouse exactly where her heart was.

The blonde quarter Veela brushed the younger girl's hair away from her face before smirking, showing off those perfect teeth. "Mon petit prince charmant," (my little prince charming) she teased, earning her a glare from Hermione. She seemed to take too much pleasure in patronizing her. Fleur started to walk away, leaving the younger witch confused, expecting some kind of explanation for how she was doing.

"Wait Fleur, I heard everything!"

"So you're finally admitting to being a peeping tom?"

Hermione caught up to the taller girl, now matching her step. The classes were dismissed by now, and students started to fill the halls.

"I- no! I was just making sure you were okay... I heard about having to perhaps endure Aegritudo again throughout the year. You can't mean that!" The urgency in Hermione's voice must've made Fleur realize her actual concern because she hooked her arm into her own and brought her to a less frequented corridor. Hermione was impressed with Fleur's quick grasp of Hogwarts halls considering she had been lost just two days ago. It took the brunette at least a week to get used to the mazes, Ron and Harry even longer.

Nearly Headless Nick had passed by silently, tipping his head as if it were a hat to the ladies before going off on his merry way.

"Hogwarts has its charm I guess," said the Frenchwoman as the ghost went through a wall and into the classroom next door. Hermione crossed her arms. She stared at Fleur waiting for her to talk. Harry often changed subjects too when he didn't want her to worry about something.

Fleur's piercing blue eyes considered the brown ones for a moment. They searched Hermione's for what felt like an eternity. "You don't look like you'll let me leave unless I talk," she smiled again. Being bossed around by a younger witch probably didn't happen very often to the Auror, Hermione thought. "Very well. I'm going to make this quick because I'd like a word with Professor Snape. But yes, it was the students who are meant to practice withstanding my thrall and then, casting the curse," she explained. "I am an Auror, you don't need to worry about me," Fleur added when Hermione didn't look convinced.

"What will happen if you are subject to the curse this many times?"

Fleur took a moment to consider. "I suspect I will either die, or become stronger." This wasn't what Hermione wanted to hear. Just because she became an Auror, did she think she could brave anything? How could she act so nonchalant about it? "I believe you humans have a saying for that. Ce qui ne me tue pas me rend plus forte? Bref, je crois." (What doesn't kill me makes me stronger. I think.)

"So you're okay with this?" the young witch asked, incredulous. Hermione now had her arms crossed in attempt to make herself look very serious about all of this, but this only seemed to amuse the other girl even more.

"Oui, 'Ermione," Fleur made a point to say her name with an extra French lilt, "I'm surprised you're this concerned about me. I thought you would be the first person to curse me until I begged for mercy." She laughed. "Don't worry about me, I'm built stronger than you think." The Auror put a reassuring hand on her shoulder and squeezed before making her way past the witch and towards the crowded corridor where Snape's classroom was situated in the basement. Hermione momentarily felt herself lean into the touch but before she knew it, it was gone. Her light, and refreshing scent remained, however.

The Fleur she once thought she knew from her fourth year had perhaps always been a selfless person. The younger witch suddenly felt quite the determination to know Fleur better. Even if it meant putting herself in loads of unwanted or embarrassing situations. She was clearly no longer that girl from the Triwizard Tournament. Her self confidence was definitively in tact, but something wasn't right. She felt compelled to learn about the quarter Veela as much as she could.

Fleur's eye had caught Hermione's distinct silhouette at the corner of the door when Madame Pomphrey asked her to stay still. Her hair had a life of its own, and seeing that figure dart away like that made it clear that the Brightest Witch of her Age had come to follow her to the infirmary. The Auror felt incredibly elated at the sight but the prodding of Madame Pomphrey kept breaking her out of her thoughts as a sharp pain made her wince. How she wished the Healer could be a little more gentle.

Perhaps Fleur felt a tad hopeful. No matter how much she disliked the girl, she couldn't stop feeling drawn to her. As much as she denied it, perhaps Hermione was truly the one. Being at Hogwarts would maybe give her a chance at creating that bond that Veela literally devote their entire lives to- even if it destroys them. "Non mais tu te calme," (calm down) the blonde girl mentally chastised herself. She's lost count to how many times a Veela couldn't control themselves and put everything aside to be with the one they were destined to be bonded to. Sometimes... it didn't work. What if Hermione rebuked her affections?

Fleur had a lot of walls, and her Veela blood was trying to destroy them to let the girl in. That is, if the girl even wanted to be remotely close to her. Just knowing that Hermione had followed her to Madame Pomphrey's gave her have butterflies, along with the dulling pain thanks to Pomphrey's numbing spell.

The Auror smiled in amusement when Hermione jumped at her appearance. She can tell she was trying to hide her blush with her hair, but she could see right through it. The bright witch demanded answers, but Fleur only skirted around as she always did when she didn't particularly want someone within her metaphoric barriers, especially not Hermione Granger.

It had left the younger witch frustrated, she could tell. But maybe... just maybe... one day she'll be able to open up to her and let her see her vulnerable self. Right now, she was feeling much too conflicted to give in just yet. Acting on emotion would go against everything she learned as an Auror. Acting on emotion got you killed, and then the people around you killed. Massive failure in Fleur's books.

A pair of feet quickly made their way next to again after she left the corridor and continued to Snape's classroom again. Hermione didn't quite take her answers as seriously as she had hoped. At the same time, her exit was so swift that she didn't properly get to talk to the younger witch or answer her at all. The squeeze on her shoulder was probably short of reassuring. Every fiber of her being tried to reel in her logic, yet the Veela within was furious with her.

This time the Auror turned around to look straight into the girl's eyes. Fleur actually didn't know what overcame her but-

"How about dinner?"

"Fleur I think that- wait. Dinner?" Hermione was probably trying to stop her with another conversation before she realized what the Auror had invited her to.

"Yes, I'd like for you to try something from my home town."

Dammit Veela blood. You had to invite her to dinner. If only Hermione knew how dangerous her inner turmoil was becoming each time they interacted.

The young witch's eyes widened and a rosy pink made her cheeks adorable. Fleur had asked the question casually, but she felt a twinge of fear. Her heart started beating rapidly.

"Um, yes." It was almost mechanical. "I'd love to."

Relief flooded the Auror's senses. That moment Hermione took to answer felt like an eternity. She didn't even realize she'd been holding onto her breath.

"Alright then," Fleur smiled, this time, it felt genuine. "My quarters at seven tonight."

AN: I'm terribly sorry this took so long to write. And even more so sorry if this chapter feels... slow? I've been playing The Last of Us 2 and my mental state is short of exhaustion with how heavy the subject matter is.

French swear word you should probably not use liberally in France: Putain. It's like saying "fuck". They do use it a lot though, so maybe you can let it slip here and there.