A/N: Hi, thanks for reading, your reviews really encourage me to keep going :)
By the time Hermione had managed to find a window in the conversation to excuse herself from the Gryffindor Common Room, Fleur was long gone. Her belongings were gone from the dormitory where everyone had been staying. Hermione heaved a big sigh and sat down on the empty bed.
Bill walked into the room and sat down beside her silently. Hermione was looking down at her hands in her lap.
"She waited for you, Hermione. The whole time you were gone."
"It was just a dumb, drunk mistake," Hermione muttered, upset.
"You think Fleur didn't have temptations? People pursuing her? We weren't holed up at Shell Cottage the whole year you were away you know," Bill said, shaking his head.
"Bill… I never forgot about her… I always intended to come back for her…" Hermione said, her eyes starting to tear up. Bill's face started to soften.
At that moment, Ginny walked into the room, pausing to ask if Hermione was okay. Hermione hurriedly wiped her eyes.
"Yeah, Gin… It's just been a full on few days…" Hermione said dismissively. Bill looked at her, surprised that she was still hiding her feelings for Fleur from the others. His face hardened again and he scratched his beard deep in thought.
"Hermione, I think you should just leave it be," he said finally, rising from the bed and striding out of the room.
X
The days, weeks and months blurred by after the Battle of Hogwarts. Hermione found herself attending so many ceremonies, meetings and photo shoots that it was hard to get time to think. But when she did, her thoughts were never far from Fleur.
Bill refused to give her information about Fleur's whereabouts, but through an oblivious Ron she discovered Fleur was working with Bill in the curse-breaking team at Gringotts.
So when McGonagall offered a shortened, distance course to earn her last qualifications she had missed from Hogwarts, Hermione jumped at the chance and decided to move to London with Harry and Ron instead of going back to Hogwarts for a year.
It wasn't hard for the golden trio to find jobs in the city. They were celebrities and heroes. They were offered the lease of a large apartment for free and each of them easily secured roles in the Ministry. Harry training as an Auror, Ron in Magic Regulation and Hermione working in the area of Magical Creatures.
On her very first day in the city, Hermione went to Gringotts under the pretence of withdrawing money. Ron and Harry were far too busy trying to figure out who would get the best room in their new apartment so she thankfully got away on her own.
She walked straight up to the main desk when she entered the bank, enquiring for a Fleur Delacour. The goblin behind the counter nodded and disappeared briefly, before waving for her to wait to one side.
She nervously pulled at her curls, bushy as usual. She started feeling self conscious, wondering if she should have put on some makeup before going after Fleur.
She heard the locks behind the counters moving and could tell someone was heading through from the offices. She held her breath. A figure emerged from a door beside the counters.
It was Bill.
His hair was a little longer, but he had trimmed his beard short. He was dressed in a blue pinstripe suit and had a severe look on his face.
"Hermione? Really?" he said irritably. He waved her into a small side office off the main entrance hall. They sat down across a table from each other and Bill lit a cigarette.
"I didn't know you smoked," Hermione said conversationally.
"For the stress," Bill said curtly. Hermione bit her lip. She knew from living with Ron that the Weasleys were still struggling hard with the loss of Fred.
Bill took a heavy drag before continuing.
"You hurt Fleur really badly by sleeping with my brother, you know."
"Bill, I told you, it was a mistake. You know what the war was like. I was drunk and lonely and missing Fleur. Ron's stupid face was just the first one I saw. The only one I saw."
Bill looked thoughtful before tapping his cigarette on the marble ashtray in the middle of the table.
"Well," he sighed, "Ron does have a stupid face, I'll give you that." His face softened and he smiled at Hermione.
"I don't mean to come on strong, Hermione," he continued, "But you can't even admit to your friends how you feel about Fleur…"
He stood up, straightening his suit and stubbing his cigarette out in the ashtray, "and nobody should be ashamed of feeling that way about Fleur Delacour."
"Bill…" Hermione said, pleadingly.
"Hermione, stay away," Bill replied, "Fleur is my best friend and doesn't deserve to be messed around and hurt. Its time she was happy."
With that, Bill wished Hermione goodbye and sharply led her out of the meeting room. He smoothed his hair and smiled at Hermione before turning and striding back to the inner rooms of Gringotts.
Hermione walked home from the bank feeling despondent. She thought about how much she had been through with Harry and Ron. How much she had been through with her wider friend group. Hell, they even knew about her sleeping with Ron that time. She began to wonder why she was being so neurotic about telling them how she felt about Fleur.
She got home and found the boys had already allocated rooms. She had the room closest to the front door, which suited her fine. It was further away from the common areas so she could focus easier when she wanted to read. She levitated her trunks and boxes into the room which was already fitted out with a low queen size bed and a long desk by the window.
She spent the rest of the evening in solitude, unpacking and setting up her room, trying to ignore the ache in her chest as she thought about the reality of a single Fleur in a crowded, post-war wizarding city.
The next morning Hermione rose early for work. Eating breakfast silently at the dining table with a sleepy Harry and Ron before walking through the morning light to the Ministry.
Hermione spent the morning deep in research at her desk, before getting distracted with thoughts of Fleur again. She had been so hopeful she would see her at Gringotts.
Hermione leaned back and clicked her neck. She decided to pick up a takeaway coffee from the Ministry café and bring one to Harry on her way back to her office. She stopped in on the Auror break room and sure enough saw Harry filling up a water bottle. They had always been in sync since their months on the road.
"Hey Harry," Hermione said, handing him his coffee, "Still on for lunch?"
Harry graciously accepted the coffee and took a long gulp, reaching his lull for the morning.
"Sorry, 'Mione, the Curse-Breaking team from Gringotts are coming to teach us a seminar," he said, "Its going to run until 2pm."
Hermione suddenly perked up.
"We could go for a late lunch?" she said cheerily, "I'll come and collect you from here?"
Harry nodded oblivious to the massive grin making its way across Hermione's face.
By two o'clock, Hermione had already raced down to the break room to wait for Harry. She had secured a seat on the couch that was facing the Auror main meeting room, which she was sure was the most logical location for a seminar.
Sure enough, the door opened and out filed some corporate looking wizards and witches, clearly from Gringotts. A short middle aged witch waddled out and walked across the break room to get herself a glass of water. Hermione sighed, the suspense raising her blood pressure.
Suddenly, a familiar figure glided through the doorway and Hermione's breath caught in her throat. It was Fleur, and she looked radiant. Hermione was sure this was what being able to feel Fleur's Veela thrall felt like. Fleur's silver-blonde hair was longer than when Hermione had last seen her, and was hanging loose around her. She was wearing a pale blue blouse and a charcoal grey pencil skirt that hugged her figure painfully well. She strode out on impossibly high heels. Her jawline and cheekbones were just as flawless as ever.
Hermione scrambled to her feet.
"Fleur?"
Fleur froze in her tracks, her deep blue eyes locking with Hermione's. Her face was set to its usual arrogant, haughty resting position but betrayed her surprise at seeing Hermione. The surprise on her face disappeared as fast as it had appeared, and Fleur regained her composure.
"Bonjour, Ms. Granger," she lilted coldly in her sweet melodic voice, before continuing across the break room and down the nearby hallway. Hermione felt her stomach twist painfully and her chest ached again.
Bill emerged from the meeting room, in a checked forest green suit and navy blue tie. His face dropped its smile when he saw Hermione.
"What are you doing here?" he asked suspiciously.
"Waiting for Harry so we can get a late lunch," Hermione said, playing dumb.
"Okay…" Bill said, unconvinced, as Harry emerged from the room in a bunch of chattering aurors and Gringotts team members.
"Hey, Bill!" Harry said, walking over to the two of them, "Great seminar on Curse-Breaking!"
Bill smiled and nodded before following the other Gringotts staff out.
Harry turned to Hermione, "So? Lunch?"
They had barely made it to the café and sat down when Harry looked at her with concern.
"Hermione, you look miserable," he said bluntly, "What's wrong?"
Hermione sighed heavily, looking down at the table. Finally she took a deep shaking breath and looked back at Harry.
"I have feelings for Fleur."
"What?!" Harry exclaimed, his mouth dropping open in surprise. He took a moment to gather his thoughts while Hermione looked uncomfortable.
"Sorry, 'Mione, I just never saw that coming… I didn't even think you guys hung out now…" he said, trying to wrap his head around it, "But obviously, it goes without saying that I don't care that she's a woman."
Hermione felt like a huge weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She leaned back and smiled, tears coming to her eyes. Harry was alarmed and immediately reached over and put a hand on hers.
"How long have you had feelings for her, 'Mione?"
Hermione told him the whole thing, starting at the hot summer at The Burrow to leaving Fleur in bed at Shell Cottage. Finally, as she mentioned Fleur leaving Hogwarts when she heard about Hermione sleeping with Ron, her tears started to fall.
"Oh, shit, I'm so sorry Hermione!" Harry yelped, "I never would have brought up that dumb story if I'd known…"
Hermione shook her head. It was impossible now anyway. She had blown her shot with Fleur once and for all and nothing could take that back.
Harry squeezed her hand supportively.
"Hermione… we're gonna get you the girl."