Many months had passed since Bill and Remus' engagement party. Never in a million years had Hermione expected to find herself here. Her whole body was aching with pain. She was sprawled on her back, gasping for breath. The room was spinning. She watched with horror as Bellatrix Lestrange's face appeared, grasping a knife in one hand and a wand in the other, and suddenly everything went black.
As Hermione drifted in and out of consciousness, she smelt the familiar scent of vanilla and flowers. On the long nights of their travels, she had often thought of Fleur, but this time she could have sworn she could actually hear her.
/
Hermione woke up to light streaming in through a window. She squinted her eyes as she adjusted to the room around her. She was in a small single bed pushed against a wall that had a large window looking out at the sea, on the other side of the bed was a bedside table littered in bottles of potions and gauze beside her. On the other side of the bedside table was a double bed, neatly made.
Standing in the middle of the room was Bill, his face thinner and beared longer. Remus was standing beside him with his arm around his waist. He had dark rings around his eyes and the grey at his temples had increased. They were both watching Hermione with concern.
"Are you ok, Hermione? Are you feeling lucid?" Remus asked.
Hermione tried to move and yelped in pain. One arm was bandaged and her whole body ached.
"Where… where am I?" Hermione asked, her voice rasping.
"Shell cottage," Bill answered, "This is where Fleur, Remus and I have been living. Dobby apparated here from Malfoy Manor with you, Ron, Harry, and some other prisoners."
"Dobby…" Remus bit his lip, "…Dobby didn't make it, Hermione."
Hermione was numb as all of this information hit her.
"Are the others still here?"
"Some of them… its been about two weeks since you arrived here. Ollivander and the other prisoners have moved on to another safe house. Ron and Harry are still here though. And Fleur of course." Bill answered.
"And Ginny is arriving today too, hon," Remus smiled, squeezing Bill. They didn't know how long they would all have to wait at the safe house before they too could be free to move on, it could be months. Remus wanted them to stay optimistic and try and regain some sense of normalcy.
Bill scratched his beard and checked his watch, "Oh shit, we should go get Fleur to come and change your dressings."
They left the room and Hermione spotted a glass of water amongst the vials on the bedside table. Her throat was so dry. She gingerly tried to sit up and reach for it, but withdrew, her body jolting with pain.
With a swift moment and the sudden smell of vanilla and flowers, Fleur whipped into the room and grabbed a vial, before holding it to Hermione's lips. The pain immediately subsided.
"You must be careful, 'Ermione," said Fleur gently. Hermione grimaced and looked at Fleur. Fleur was just as beautiful as Hermione had remembered, even as her face was narrowed with concern. She took great care as she removed Hermione's dressings, using an elaborate combination of ointments, potions and spells before re-dressing. When she was done, she smiled at Hermione and whirled out of the room again.
A little later, Bill returned and sat down on the edge of the double bed across the room from Hermione.
"Is Fleur okay?" Hermione asked, feeling good enough to sit up in bed and reach for a book.
Bill smiled, "Yeah, she's just worried about you… and maybe feeling a little awkward."
Hermione paused while wiping dust off the cover of the book, "Awkward?"
Bill chuckled and ran a hand through his hair.
"Yeahh… you got a little loopy with the strong pain potions we gave you when you first arrived... you said a few funny things. Don't worry though, it was just me and Fleur there when you said them."
Hermione froze, mortified. "What did I say, Bill?"
Bill laughed.
"What. Did. I. Say. Bill?!" Hermione repeated.
"Ohh… it wasn't too bad. Just some things about Fleur making a sexy nurse."
Hermione groaned.
"And maybe a couple of more graphic things…" Bill laughed harder, "I don't think I've ever seen Fleur blush so hard!"
"Oh my god, just put a pillow over my face and kill me, Bill!" Hermione lamented.
Bill cackled some more before straightening up.
"But seriously, Hermione… I did get the impression last summer that you were into women… Maybe one woman in particular, too." Bill said.
Hermione blushed.
"Don't worry, I won't say anything" Bill said confidentially, and got up to leave.
"Get some rest, Hermione."
Hermione fell asleep soon after Bill left and was still half dozing when Fleur entered the room and silently climbed into the double bed on the other side of the room.
/
The next week went by quickly, Hermione sleeping lots and Fleur whipping in and out attending to her. During the day the others would visit Hermione in her room and try to brighten her day.
Finally, Hermione was feeling back to normal. Although a little cautious around Fleur.
Fleur was still not speaking much and just looking concerned. Hermione wanted desperately to talk to her, to see if things were fine between them. The problem was, every time Hermione was awake and Fleur was there, she was always leaning over Hermione or touching an area to see if it hurt… It was flustering. Fleur still had the same effect over Hermione.
Hermione had given up hope that Fleur might still be attracted to her. After all, it had been almost a year since they kissed at Bill and Remus' engagement party. She was, however, hopeful that Fleur still liked her as a friend.
That night, Hermione was finally getting to sleep at the same time everyone else was. Fleur drifted into the room in a light blue satin nightdress and climbed into the double bed across the room silently. Hermione lay in the darkness in her little single bed for a while before asking "are we all good, Fleur?" in an awkward voice.
She heard Fleur turn and sigh, before eventually, "tell me about ze book you were reading today"
Hermione smiled.
/
Hermione shot up in bed, drenched in sweat, gasping for breath, she stumbled out of bed panting.
She had just seen Bellatrix, clear as day, but of course it was a nightmare.
Fleur sat up in bed, sleepily asking if Hermione was okay.
"Y-yeah, just a nightmare."
Fleur sleepily reached out and grabbed Hermione's wrist, pulling her into bed. She muttered something in French and then nestled behind Hermione, wrapping her arm around her.
Hermione relaxed, feeling soothed by Fleur spooning her. Within a minute she heard Fleur start to breathe heavily, already asleep. Hermione's own eyes started feeling heavy. She felt safe and content.
/
The next day Hermione woke alone in Fleur's bed. She stretched, smiling at the memory of Fleur cuddling her to sleep after her nightmare. She got changed slowly and padded into the dining room of the small cottage where the others were sitting around the table eating lunch.
She sat down next to Ron. He had a disgusted look on his face as he wolfed down his sandwich and swigged at a beer.
"So I walk into Ginny's room and BAM! Her and Harry snogging" Ron shudders.
"So, I think, fine, I'll go see what Bill is up to," Ron continues, "Push open his door and BAM! Him and Remus shagging." (At this Bill turns bright red and Remus smirks)
"So then," Ron says with a mouthful of bread, "I think fine, I'll go back to mine and Harry's room and BAM! Harry and Ginny snogging AGAIN."
Ron shakes his head in disgust, "this cottage is too small… I'm getting traumatised here."
Remus laughs and replies, "I think the real moral of the story here is that you need to learn how to knock, Ron."
Hermione smiled, she missed this easy casual vibe over the past year. It reminded her of last summer. She settled in at the table and started making a sandwich as Bill got up and grabbed another round of beers for the table.
"How 'bout it, Fleur? You want one too?"
Fleur looked unimpressed at Bill, "non."
"Come on Fleur, Hermione's better now, you don't have to play nurse anymore."
At the last words Bill winked slyly at Fleur and she turned a slight shade of pink. Hermione suddenly realised what he was referring to and busied herself with her sandwich.
"Fine, Bill. Wine, though." Fleur sighed.
Throughout the afternoon, they all sat at the dining table, teasing each other and drinking. Hermione smiled, only having a single beer herself, and watched her friends laugh like the good old days.
At dinner time, she made sure they all ate by whipping up a pasta. They were all quite drunk by this time, which normally Hermione would find annoying, but she enjoyed the tables turning and looking after them after so long being ill.
None of them lasted much longer after dinner. Ron fell asleep sitting up on the couch, his head thrown backwards and loud snores emanating from him.
Next, Fleur was begging Hermione to read her a book aloud, and Hermione turned around to find that Ginny and Harry had snuck upstairs.
"I'm glad to see you guys aren't walking on eggshells around each other anymore," Remus slurred, smiling at Hermione swatting a drunk Fleur's hand reaching for more wine.
Bill giggled drunkenly, "It was kind of funny watching Fleur all shy for a change though,"
Fleur turned and glared across the table at Bill.
Hermione crossed her arms awkwardly, "I'm sure it wasn't that bad! You're just teasing"
Bill giggled again and slurred, "Which part? The part where you said you would nail Fleur or the part where you described how you would do it?"
Hermione threw her hands over her face and groaned. Fleur pulled a face and told Bill to shut up.
But it was too late, Hermione was mortified and knew the only cure for her embarrassment was retreating to bed with a good book.
She hadn't been in her room long, when Fleur entered and began readying herself for bed. Hermione could tell she was quite drunk.
Fleur stripped down to some pink lingerie and swayed. Hermione tried her best not to stare at Fleur.
"Will you cuddle with me tonight again, 'Ermione?" Fleur asked.
"Oh… no, its okay, I wouldn't want to make you feel awkward…"
Fleur pouted, "Oh, 'Ermione! Don't pay any attention to Bill, 'e likes to wind me up"
"I don't know Fleur…"
"Come on, 'Ermione, did I not snuggle you last night when you needed it?"
Hermione blushed a little at the memory.
"Fine, I give in," Hermione said, getting up and climbing into the double bed across the room.
Fleur smiled happily and bounded onto the bed, clambering up until she was on top of Hermione.
Hermione froze. Fleur was in lacy pink lingerie, straddling her, looking down at her.
'She's drunk, Hermione, she doesn't mean it that way,' Hermione told herself, ignoring the heat rising within her.
Sure enough, Fleur slid off and lay at Hermione's side, already sleepy. Hermione smiled and waved her wand to turn off the lamps. Fleur was a really adorable drunk. She was running her hand up and down Hermione's stomach as she murmured happily in French.
Fleur re-shuffled and nuzzled closer to Hermione, her lips brushing against her neck. Hermione tried to ignore the feelings resurfacing within her. Fleur sighed sleepily and her hand slowed in its movements, running down from Hermione's ribcage all the way down to Hermione's pelvis. Hermione froze, painfully aroused now. Fleur shifted again and her hand moved back up Hermione's stomach, her breathing starting to slow as she fell asleep.
/
For once, when Hermione awoke, she woke at the same time as Fleur. Fleur looked a little surprised to find herself in her lingerie and in Hermione's arms, a little pink rising in her cheeks. But soon her eyes found Hermione's and she relaxed again, a smile playing at her lips.
Hermione opened her mouth to say something before she was interrupted by the door bursting open.
Ron bowled in, mid-sentence "So 'Mione, do you mind if I eat your break—"
He stopped as if he had run into an invisible wall. His eyes widened as he stared at Fleur in her lingerie cuddling against Hermione.
Ron turned purple and made a faint gurgling noise before walking backwards out of the room.