Hermione was in the kitchen making some breakfast with Fleur while the others were waiting at the dining table. They were a little obscured by the cupboards, so Hermione was taking the opportunity to steal quick little kisses from Fleur. Fleur really suited having her feelings returned. She was radiant. Her silver-blonde hair seemed to have more lustre to it, and her smooth skin almost appeared to have a glow from it.

They levitated the food on to the table and settled in to their seats beside each other. Hermione moved her hand under the table to rest on Fleur's thigh and watched as Fleur smiled serenely. Fleur put her hand on top of Hermione's.

This morning Harry seemed to have a renewed energy about him, Hermione smirked thinking perhaps it had something to do with the youngest Weasley sitting beside him. Ron, on the other hand, looked tired and was openly staring at Hermione over his meal. This detail was not missed by Fleur, and Hermione felt her stomach flip as she thought she saw a glint of jealousy in Fleur's eyes.

After breakfast, Remus, Ginny and Bill offered to clean up and Hermione and Fleur went to their room. Hermione had just wrapped her arms around Fleur's waist and pulled her into a breathless kiss when there was a knock at the door. Hermione pulled away from Fleur, enjoying the blush she saw on Fleur's face.

She went to the door.

"Harry?"

The scruffy-haired boy was looking agitated, shifting from one foot to another.

"Hermione, could you come chat to me in my room for a minute? Its important."

Hermione looked back at Fleur who nodded at her and busied herself with tidying their room.

Hermione followed Harry upstairs and they ducked into the room he shared with Ron. Hermione looked confused as Harry locked the door behind them and muttered a silencing charm. Ron was sitting on one of the twin beds looking serious.

Hermione sat beside him and they looked at Harry.

"Guys, we have our window. We can leave to track the rest of the horcruxes tomorrow morning."

"W-what?" Hermione stuttered. This was so sudden.

"Yeah, I know, it doesn't give us much time to get prepared," Harry replied, "But I was talking to Bill and it seems like tomorrow morning much of the focus will be on the other side of the country where they're planning to bust Mad-Eye's safehouse."

He smiled grimly before continuing, "Thankfully Mad-Eye already knows they're coming, but it will be the perfect distraction for us to get out and on the move. We should have plenty of time to travel up to the next spot and scope out a hiding place by the time things ease there."

Hermione felt her stomach sink as Harry started organising what they needed to prepare before the next morning. Things with Fleur were still so new, she was scared that if she left now she would lose her shot with her.

She watched Harry solemnly as he started listing supplies they should ensure they have packed. He was pale and looked much older than he usually did. She thought about how things were also new with Ginny for him, and he was willing to leave her to make the sacrifice for the wizarding world. She shook her head. She had no choice either, she had to make her own sacrifices for the greater good too.

Eventually, they had their plan mostly laid out. Hermione showed the other two how to use the expanding charm she had used on her handbag on a couple of backpacks in case they got separated. She also decided to take some of the pain potions Fleur had made her in case they ran into more trouble. Her jaw stiffened as she remembered the horrors at Malfoy Manor. Ron took her hand and squeezed it.

"We're gonna be okay, 'Mione. We're all in this together."

Hermione looked up at the faces of her two best friends. The war had already aged them all so much. They looked like adults, no longer silly teenagers.

Harry unlocked the door and they filed out to discreetly organise their supplies for the next morning.

Hermione wasn't sure if it was because she was so focussed on preparing, or because of the ache in her chest, but she avoided Fleur for most of the day. She couldn't even look at her over dinner, and rushed into their room straight after to take some potions from the bedside table and stash them in her handbag.

She came back out to the living room, preparation now complete, and joined the others for a glass of wine in the living room. She sat beside Fleur, who looked a little sad. Fleur had probably noticed her avoiding her, it was a reasonably small cottage after all. She leaned against her, enjoying Fleur's usual scent of vanilla and flowers. She looked around. Harry and Ron both looked pale, but had beers in their hands. They seemed intent on enjoying their last night among friends and family before getting back on the road.

That night she took a long shower, relishing the hot water against her skin as she remembered how life on the trail for horcruxes could be. As she got back to her room, Fleur was already in bed.

Hermione crawled in next to her, wrapping her arms around Fleur, feeling her satin nightdress against her toned body. She nestled her face into Fleur's hair.

"You 'ave been avoiding me today, 'Ermione," Fleur said quietly, "I assumed you 'ad changed your mind about zis."

"Of course not," Hermione murmured into Fleur's ear, "I've never felt this way about anyone before."

Fleur smiled with relief and leaned in to kiss Hermione gently.

"I 'ave never felt zis way about anyone else either," she whispered, and kissed Hermione again, deeper.

Hermione felt a giddy rush as Fleur's tongue slid against hers. She pulled Fleur closer, running her hands over her impossible body. As they pulled apart, she could sense Fleur's arousal. Her eyes were dark with desire and she was pressing hard against Hermione. Hermione wanted desperately to give in to her, to finally entangle herself with Fleur and make passionate love. But her conscience couldn't let her.

"I'm leaving in the morning, Fleur," Hermione said quietly, her voice husky. She cleared her throat. "We're going to finish hunting the horcruxes."

Fleur drew back from Hermione, as if she had been struck.

"No… you can't," Fleur said, her voice filled with dread.

"I'm sorry, Fleur," Hermione said softly, "I have to… the wizarding world is depending on us…"

"Do you know how much it broke my heart to see the state you were in when you arrived here after Malfoy Manor?" Fleur said, her eyes starting to get a little teary.

"Fleur…" Hermione began.

"Hermione, I never stopped thinking about you… I never will" Fleur said, starting to cry. Hermione pulled Fleur into a tight embrace and they held each other until the sun started to rise and Fleur fell into a reluctant doze.

Hermione delicately removed herself from Fleur's arms and started to get dressed. As she straightened herself out, she looked back at Fleur, peacefully sleeping in bed. She looked like a literal angel in this moment and Hermione felt her heart aching.

She moved to Fleur and kissed her forehead softly, whispering, "I'll be back for you, Fleur."

X

[FOURTEEN MONTHS LATER]

Hermione and Ron cheered as Neville sank the sword of Gryffindor into Nagini, watching as the snake writhed and died. Suddenly there was a bellow and a beam of light shot towards them, they had let down their guards momentarily and a Death Eater had seized on the opportunity.

There was a flash of gold light and an aroma of vanilla and flowers as a silver-blonde figure moved in front of them, blocking the spell and protecting them.

Hermione looked in disbelief at the figure standing in front of them, hair flowing in the wind.

"F-Fleur?" she uttered. Fleur turned to them, her ice blue eyes locking with Hermione before looking over her shoulder, distracted, and running off to duel another Death Eater.

Hermione stood stunned for a moment, before having to throw herself back into the fight herself.

X

The fight was over, the war was won. Hermione and Ron clutched Harry in a tight hug, relieved that the nightmare was finally over.

They made their way into the crumbled castle of Hogwarts where they were laying out the dead. They looked in horror as they saw Molly leaning over the body of Fred, sobbing uncontrollably. George was knelt beside his dead twin, pale and obviously in shock. Behind them the other Weasleys were crowded together, holding each other. Harry sprinted over to wrap his arms around Ginny. Hermione looked at Ron and watched the blood drain from his face, reaching her hand down to hold his. As they approached the others, Hermione saw Bill had his arms wrapped tightly around Fleur and was sobbing, his whole body heaving.

"R-Remus… I haven't seen Remus…" he sobbed, his voice hoarse.

At that moment, the door to the Great Hall slammed open. They all turned to look and Remus stumbled in, covered in blood, carrying the body of his good friend, Nymphadora Tonks.

X

Days later, they were almost done clearing up the castle and reuniting people with their loved ones.

The Weasleys, Harry, Hermione and their friends were gathered in the Gryffindor Common Room, drinking wine. It was a strange feeling, celebrating when there was so much loss around them. But despite the horrors of the final battle, there were smiles and laughs around the room.

Hermione was sitting between Ron and Harry on a couch. The trio had been through hell and back on the road. There had been so many arguments, so many highs and lows, so many intense moments shared between them while on the road for the last fourteen months. Hermione looked around the room, smiling at the faces of her friends, before her eyes landed on Fleur. Fleur was sitting beside Bill and Remus, and was watching Hermione. Hermione felt a heavy pang in her stomach. She wanted desperately to run across the room to Fleur and into her arms, but couldn't quite bring herself. It had been fourteen months. So much had happened.

Harry was laughing and refilling his glass of wine, regaling the room with tales of their lonely travels on the road.

"Yeah, well, tensions were pretty high at times," he chuckled, "one minute we were at each others throats, the next… well…" he winked and looked at Ron and Hermione.

Hermione's stomach sank. She had blocked from her memory the night they had got drunk and argued, her missing Fleur horribly, and ended up sleeping with Ron out of loneliness.

"No!" Ginny exclaimed, looking from Ron to Hermione.

Hermione looked down at her hands. Ron was laughing nervously, scratching the back of his neck.

Hermione looked up just in time to see a mane of silver-blonde hair whipping out of the room. She looked at the empty seat where Fleur had just been and Bill caught her eye. He looked pained and shook his head slightly, indicating Hermione shouldn't follow.