The next two weeks were unbearable for Hermione. While the Trio had long wished they had been able to stay together at Grimmauld Place, the reality was far from glamorous. It seemed as if the aurors were well aware of their tendencies to conspire, and as such, the trio scarcely had time to themselves.
Harry, Ron and Hermione would frequently exchange meaningful looks, but the second they had a reprieve to discuss a possible tactic for returning to the front lines, one of the aurors would always appear in earshot.
This suffocating arrangement was resulting in Hermione bickering even more with Fleur, Moody becoming even more gruff with the youngsters, and Tonks growing even more apologetic about their situation.
As cabin fever began to well and truly set in in their third week, it was great relief to them all when an Order meeting was scheduled for Grimmauld Place.
The Order members had barely shut the door to their meeting room when the Trio scampered up the staircase and into Ron's room.
"Finally an upside to being left out of Order meetings," Harry muttered as Ron pulled out his wand to lock the door and cast a silencing charm. Harry and Hermione seated themselves on the edge of Ron's bed, while Ron lumbered over and threw himself into the armchair facing them.
"So how're we gonna get out of here?" Ron asked, leaning forward conspiratorially, "We can hardly wait another month for them to happen to call an Order meeting."
"And Merlin knows the aurors are always around us," Hermione said darkly, thinking of her ever-present shadow, Fleur.
"Not always…" Harry said, scratching his chin, "They check our rooms at night but then they go off to their own quarters. Its always possible we could sneak out at night…"
"Harry, mate," Ron interrupted, "You're mad if you think Moody doesn't rig the hallways to catch people roaming around at night. I got up to go to the toilet the other night and bloody near pissed myself when Moody came out swinging his cane at me."
Hermione stifled a laugh at the imagery while Harry continued to look deep in thought.
"The windows?" Harry suggested, "I'm sure they're locked somehow but we could always figure that out."
Ron nodded and looked at Hermione, who was now the one deep in thought.
"It shouldn't be too hard to figure out if there is any locking charm or protections on them," Hermione said, turning to look at the windows in Ron's room.
"But this means we will be leaving the house from separate windows… possibly at separate times depending on when our aurors retire for the night," Harry added, "We'll have to come up with a meeting point."
"There's an abandoned café only two blocks from here?" Ron suggested, "Could meet outside there?"
The others nodded, continuing to mull over the details of their escape. It was some time before they were interrupted by the muffled sound of knocking on the door echoing through Ron's silencing charm.
"Shit," Ron muttered, quickly removing the silencing charm and unlocking the door. Tonks strode into the room, sporting a pastel pink bob of hair today.
"Now why would you need to lock the door?" Tonks said, coming to sit on the bed in between Harry and Hermione. They all kept neutral expressions, not daring to exchange glances.
Tonks tapped her chin with her fingers, "It does seem awfully suspicious for three known plotters such as yourselves to be locked away in a room while the rest of us are occupied…"
"We… we just wanted to hang out without people looking over our shoulders all the time," Harry said quickly. Ron nodded, jumping on this explanation.
"It bores us to tears being stuck just sitting around being monitored by you lot," Ron added.
"You're bored?" Tonks asked, her eyes twinkling.
Ron nodded, "There's nothing to do here except wait. Merlin knows you aurors could do with loosening up sometimes."
Tonks sighed heavily, "Come downstairs, guys."
The Trio reluctantly got up and followed Tonks downstairs. If anything, Tonks was the most understanding of the aurors. Unsurprising, considering she had been close with Sirius during his confinement in Grimmauld Place.
Tonks led them down into the living room, where she ushered them to sit.
"What's all this about?" Ron asked, a little confused.
"Well, when Sirius was stuck here, he had one way of relaxing when it got a bit too much," Tonks smirked, "And believe me, I understand his methods since being assigned to staying here."
With a grin, she turned to a small bookshelf in the centre of the living room.
"Reading?" Harry asked, baffled.
"No offense, Tonks," Ron commented, "But apart from Hermione, I doubt any of us are gonna find it a holiday to sit down and study a book."
Tonks held up a finger to silence him before roaming her other hand down the second shelf of books. When her hands came to a yellow spine of a book, she tickled it. The bookshelf immediately rotated in the wall, revealing an impressive shelf of alcohol.
Harry and Ron immediately perked up.
"What was Sirius' drink of choice?" Harry asked, moving to the edge of his seat. He always had a thirst for learning more about his late Godfather. Tonks grinned and plucked a few bottles from the shelf to set on the coffee table in the living room.
"Lets work our way through them, shall we?"
The boys laughed and got up to get some glasses from the kitchen. It was refreshing to be able to act like a normal person in their early 20s for once. Hermione, on the other hand, sat back on the couch crossing her arms.
"Do you really think it is appropriate for us to set into drinking if we are supposedly in such danger?" Hermione scowled.
"Relax, Granger," Tonks said good-heartedly, "We still have Moody with his 'constant vigilance' roaming around the place. Besides, you need to relax for once before you end up strangling Fleur."
"I heard my name?" Fleur said melodically as she swept into the room. Hermione scowled deeper.
"Ah, my Veela," Tonks chuckled, "I was just telling Hermione here she should indulge in some beverages with me and the boys to relax."
Fleur smirked as she came to sit on a couch by Tonks.
"Hermione seems too uptight to drink," Fleur commented as she crossed her legs, earning a glare from Hermione.
"As if you are an expert in my habits," Hermione retorted. Tonks sat back, amusedly observing the latest scuffle between the two women.
"Well if ever anyone were to be described as predictable, it would be you, Hermione." Fleur smirked. The boys re-entered the room, setting down the glasses, oblivious to the tension between Fleur and Hermione.
Hermione picked up one of the glasses immediately, setting it down firmly in front of Tonks.
"I'll have a drink, thanks, Tonks," she said snappily, glaring at Fleur. Tonks nodded, suppressing a chuckle, and began to pour the group drinks.
Several drinks later and Tonks was making them all cry with laughter over stories of her clumsiness at auror school.
"I mean, don't get me wrong, I'm top notch at protecting you guys," she said, wiping tears away, "But I might just trip up and knock over the Death Eaters in my eagerness to hex them."
"Its true," Fleur laughed, and Hermione ignored how perfectly melodic her laugh was. Ron chortled along with the others.
"What was Fleur like at auror school?" Ron asked, refilling their drinks.
"A heart-breaker," Tonks laughed, as Fleur pouted in response.
"Why am I surprised?" Hermione said unpleasantly. The haziness of intoxication was causing her to lose her already loose filter. Fleur looked at her darkly.
"Who was that one auror who refused to accept that you had broken up with them?" Tonks slurred, giggling at memories of their time studying to be aurors together.
"Sophie," Fleur replied, smirking.
Hermione choked on her drink. Harry and Ron raised their eyebrows.
"B… But Sophie is a girl's name," Ron pointed out obviously.
"That it is, Ronald," Tonks laughed.
"You mean…? Fleur?" Ron began, purpling. Harry was looking amused at his friend's reaction.
"Is bisexual, yes. One of the many things we have in common," Tonks chirped, throwing an arm around Fleur. Hermione regained her composure, an odd feeling running through her. Fleur liked women? Hermione drained the rest of her almost-full drink, eying a cosy Tonks and Fleur suspiciously from over her glass. She wasn't sure why, but it bothered her that Fleur and Tonks were so close… That Fleur was interested in women… and so close with Tonks…
"Enough about us," Fleur interrupted, grinning across at the other couch where Harry, Ron and Hermione were sitting, "What dirty laundry do the Golden Trio have?"
Harry chortled, "I'm afraid we're a lot more boring than you'd think."
Hermione was barely listening, her eyes were trained on Tonks' fingers playing in Fleur's hair again. The way Fleur was leaning into Tonks contentedly. How painfully beautiful Fleur looked in the evening light…
"Oh come on," Fleur laughed, "I'm sure something has at least happened between Ron and Hermione."
Ron's ears turned a shocking shade of pink. He and Hermione had in fact had a brief fling after the Battle of Hogwarts, as short lived as it was. He glanced over at Hermione, who was still watching Fleur intently.
"We don't all cycle through partners as often as we change underwear," Hermione snapped, glaring at Fleur. Fleur looked surprised at Hermione's sudden outburst. Tonks looked annoyed.
"Come on, Hermione," Tonks said, irritated, "Enough of this, at least for tonight. We're having a good time."
"I can see that," Hermione hissed, nodding at Tonks' arm around Fleur. Fleur raised her eyebrows. Hermione slammed her glass down on the coffee table and stormed out of the room and up the stairs. She turned to shut her door but was thwarted by Tonks suddenly leaping into the hallway and putting her foot in the doorway to stop her. Tonks pushed the door open and forcibly entered Hermione's room.
"What the hell, Hermione?" Tonks exclaimed, as Hermione scowled at her, "You can't keep throwing insults at Fleur and storming out of rooms."
Hermione crossed her arms tightly across her chest, "Of course you would take her side."
Tonks sighed, "This again. Why are you suddenly acting so jealous around me and Fleur?"
Hermione snorted, "I am most certainly not jealous. I don't know why everyone keeps accusing me of that."
Tonks clucked her tongue and sat down in the armchair by Hermione's bed, running a hand through her pink bob.
"Hermione… does it bother you to think I might be interested in Fleur?"
Hermione sat on the edge of her bed, her arms still folded.
"Of course… because its Fleur. You know I don't like her. And its not just me, even Ginny calls her Phlegm."
"Ginny doesn't jump down my throat every time I sit beside Fleur, though," Tonks said softly, watching Hermione with calculating eyes. Hermione didn't reply, scuffing her heels against the carpet.
Tonks sighed, "Hermione, its not a big deal to be attracted to Fleur. Most people are." Hermione shook her head. A silence fell over them.
"Are you together?" Hermione asked after a long pause. Tonks frowned.
"No. I suggest you think about why it bothers you so much that we could be," Tonks replied, getting to her feet and walking to the door, "And for Merlin's sake, Granger, cut the girl some slack."
With that, Tonks left Hermione's room, shutting the door gently behind her. Hermione could hear her stumbling clumsily down the stairs to re-join the others downstairs. Hermione sighed and threw herself back on her bed, lying on her back.
She did feel bad about her outburst. She didn't know why the thought of Tonks and Fleur together bothered her so much. Or why knowing Fleur was interested in women threw her off. She considered Tonks and Ron's words… Was she jealous? She had caught herself on more than one occasion admiring Fleur's body. But that was normal, to compare bodies with other women… Even as she thought that, she knew she wasn't comparing her body with Fleur's. She was appreciating Fleur's body. She sighed, bothered by her thoughts. The alcohol was making her eyes so heavy… Hermione yawned as she drifted into a deep sleep.
Hermione sat up on her bed. She must have dozed off. She looked to her side and was surprised to see Fleur sitting in the armchair beside her bed, clad only in a silk dressing gown.
"Fleur?" Hermione gasped, surprised.
"Mn?" Fleur raised an eyebrow. She was watching Hermione in an intense, almost predatory way.
"What are you doing here?" Hermione asked.
"You asked me 'ere, 'Ermione," Fleur purred. Strange, Hermione didn't remember her accent being this pronounced since she had first met her during the Triwizard Tournament.
"Why are you in your dressing gown?" Hermione questioned.
"Would you razzer I take eet off?" Fleur asked seductively. Hermione felt a ripple of arousal run through her body. For once, she was strangely unashamed of admiring Fleur's body as she gracefully rose from the armchair.
"Well?" Fleur asked expectantly, her hands paused on the knot of her dressing gown.
Hermione eyed the beautiful woman in front of her. Her long silver-blonde hair was loose and cascading over her shoulders. Her cerulean eyes were dark with desire. Hermione couldn't deny it anymore, Fleur was sexy.
"Y-yes," Hermione said hoarsely. Fleur smirked and obediently untied her silk dressing gown, dropping it to the floor. Hermione's jaw dropped. Underneath Fleur was wearing a very revealing lavender lacy lingerie set, complete with suspenders hanging loosely from the panties. Hermione let out a low moan of appreciation.
All of a sudden, with feline-like reflexes, Fleur had straddled Hermione and pinned her to the bed. The feel of the blonde woman's incredible toned body firmly against her was indescribable, Hermione thought she would drown in the pleasure. Fleur's lips were impossibly soft as they brushed her neck before moving towards her ear. Hermione shivered at the feel of Fleur's breath on her ear as she began to whisper.
"'Ermione…"
"Hermione!"
There was a knock at the door.
Hermione sat up with a start. She was alone on top of her bed, and uncomfortably wet and aroused. Her room was dark and empty around her. A dream. It was only a dream. Hermione let out a long and shaky breath.
There was another knock at the door.
"C-come in," Hermione said, still trying to get a grip of herself.
The door swung open and the object of her dream strode in. But this Fleur was fully dressed and had an unimpressed look on her face.
"I know I'm not your favourite person in the world, but I do have to do my job," Fleur said coolly, not looking at Hermione.
"Y-yeah, I know, Fleur," Hermione stuttered, running a hand through her tangled locks. Fleur glanced at her for a second, surprised at Hermione's response, before nodding and proceeding to do her nightly safety inspection of Hermione's room.
"Grimmauld Place is protected by the Fidelus Charm though, right?" Hermione asked, keen to take her mind of the graphic memories of her dream, "Surely that means you don't need to check the safety every day."
Fleur turned to face her from the windows she was carefully observing, "Harry's parents house was also protected by that same charm. The Order believes extra security is warranted this time around."
"Speaking of security," Hermione began, seeing an opportunity. All inappropriate thoughts left her mind as she remembered the Trio's plan to return to the front lines. "What charm are you putting on those windows? Just out of curiosity."
Fleur looked at her as if she had lost her mind. It was rare for Hermione to be so close to being friendly with her. She cocked her head to one side for a moment, before seemingly becoming satisfied that Hermione merely wanted to learn, and waved her over.
"Come, I will show you."
Hermione's sleep that night was thankfully dreamless and she woke early in the morning. It always took her a while to get used to new surroundings. Fleur's jibes aside, when she first moved into the safe-house, it took her two weeks before she stopped waking at unusually early hours.
She padded over to her door, pausing with her hand on the handle. She remembered bumping into Fleur on her first morning at Grimmauld Place in her slipping towel. Her face burned red as she thought simultaneously how annoying and how good it would be to have that happen again.
"Stupid dream…" Hermione mumbled, opening the door and padding downstairs.
When she reached the kitchen, she saw everyone was already seated at the table, munching on breakfast. Tonks shot a cautious look at Hermione, before averting her eyes.
"Morning," Hermione greeted awkwardly, "Sorry for being, uh, cranky last night…"
"We're used to it," Ron answered good-naturedly without thinking, before Harry jabbed him in the ribs.
"Er, I mean, it wasn't that bad," Ron back pedalled hastily, "You missed some good stories though."
Harry nodded and flashed Hermione a reassuring smile. Moody merely grunted and didn't look up from his smile. Fleur looked confused with Hermione again. Since when had Hermione apologised for her outbursts?
"Well, I appreciate the apology, 'Mione," Tonks said, beginning to grin, "Was afraid you were turning into a prat for a moment there."
"I certainly hope I'm not a prat," Hermione smiled as she sat down and picked up a piece of toast, "I do feel a little bit like one for ruining drinks though."
Tonks gestured frantically, but it was too late. Moody's head snapped up.
"Drinks on the job?!" He bellowed, "Are ye mad?! Why not just invite the Dark Lord in for a bleedin' cup of tea!"
Tonks and Fleur paled, Tonks beginning to sink down a little in her seat. Moody began to launch into a full-blown lecture on constant vigilance. The Trio seeing their opportunity, they slipped out of the kitchen and into the dining room.
"So, how's progress?" Harry whispered, glancing cautiously at the closed doors into the kitchen.
"With who?" Hermione asked, flustered as another flashback of her dream crossed her mind.
"With the windows, 'Mione," Ron said slowly, looking at Hermione as if she had just sprouted an extra limb.
"Oh, right," Hermione said quickly, regaining her matter-of-fact composure, "I got Fleur to show me the charms that are on them last night—it should be simple to un-do…"
Hermione glanced carefully at the closed kitchen doors before explaining in minute detail how to break the charms on the windows to allow their escape. She even triple checked Ron had the wand movement correct, she knew how he could be.
They had just finished agreeing to escape that night when the doors slammed open and Tonks hurried out of the kitchen and up the stairs. It appeared Moody wasn't going to let her wriggle out of a lecture that easily, he was limping behind her at a surprising speed.
"Should've known it was your idea, Tonks!" he growled, chasing her up the stairs. Harry and Ron giggled at the image of Tonks literally trying to run away from Moody's wrath.
Fleur emerged from the kitchen and came to join the Trio in the living room. A silence fell over them as they couldn't continue their conversation about escape. Hermione looked at how gracefully Fleur was sitting in her chair. It reminded her of how Fleur was sitting in her armchair in her dream…
"Erm, sorry about accidentally ratting you guys out to Moody," Hermione said awkwardly. Fleur looked at her, surprised yet again by her change in attitude.
"Ah… It is no problem, Hermione," Fleur said cautiously, observing Hermione with curiosity.
Throughout the day, in her awkwardness around Fleur after her dream, Hermione remained perfectly cordial and neutral with the older woman. To her surprise, it resulted in Fleur being perfectly nice to her back. She began to wonder if it really was her fault that Fleur was usually insufferable around her.
But by the end of the day, when Fleur had completed her evening inspection of Hermione's room, Hermione's thoughts had turned to the task at hand.
Fleur had come in much later than usual this evening, Hermione noted worriedly as she looked at her watch. She hoped the boys would not be waiting very long. As soon as Fleur's door shut, Hermione leapt out of bed and cast a Silencing Charm before quickly packing her things. She wondered where the Trio would head to first… To try to take down the Dark Lord straight away or to strategically take down Death Eater headquarters to weaken his network. She supposed they would work that out on the road.
Bag packed, she quickly headed to the window, casting the necessary spells she had practised to undo the protections on the window. Satisfied, she pulled the old window upwards, grateful for the Silencing Charm as it loudly rumbled in its tracks. Sitting on the windowsill and swinging her feet over, she looked down into the darkness. It was now or never.
Hermione cast a simple spell to slow her jump from the window, landing gently on the lawn. She hoped desperately that Moody didn't have any detection spells on the lawn.
Hermione stood frozen, alert, for a few moments before she was satisfied nobody was coming. She swung her bag over her shoulder and scampered out of the grounds of Grimmauld Place and into the dark street.
Hermione shivered against the cold, damp night. She wished desperately she had thought to put a jacket on before she left, but she could fish one out when she got to the café.
She set off at a quick pace down the dark streets, shoulders hunched against the cold. The only sound she could hear was the clopping of her own shoes. She had hoped she would be leaving at the same time as the boys, but she reassured herself that she would be reunited with the others momentarily. It was a mere two blocks.
Hermione had made it about a block when she had to pass an alleyway. However, before she could reach it, four shadowy figures emerged to stand in front of her, wands raised. Hermione's blood ran cold as she recognised the masks the figures were wearing. Death Eaters.
