A Peculiar Case of Love and Desire

by Sleek Ink

CHAPTER 7

The moment Fleur's lips touched the sensitive corner, Hermione felt the ground underneath spin, like she was standing on a vinyl record turning.

And there was music too. An earthly hum. A sultry hymn. Its notes easily flowed like the pattering of rain. It seemed to come from Fleur's breath, the glow of her skin, the shimmer in her hair. And Hermione thought she heard this before.

And remembered.

Another time.

Another kiss.

There were hands. Her hands clutching my waist. My hands exploring the gentle slopes, the quivering muscles of her back. Her hands tangling in my hair, cupping the back of my head, eagerly tipping my lips to hers. She was feverish, parched, and my lips slaked her thirst.

Savouring something more delicate than fine wine, we sipped the flavour off each other's lips. There were strawberries and mint in hers. There was sleepy hunger in mine. Lips brushing, pressing. Softness yielding to softness. We tilt our faces, searching for that perfect angle to feel more.. taste more…

In the next breath I took, her tongue slipped inside.

I giggled and groaned, feeling her tongue flick at the roof of my mouth. I didn't want her to leave. My lips held her tongue captive, enclosing and gently suckling, I was flooded by her liquid warmth.

My heart inhaled helium. It shot to the sky. I have no idea whether I was standing or floating. I was only certain of the weightlessness bursting inside of me. I was dizzyingly out of balance and I didn't mind. Our arms desperately clung to each other, anchoring hearts that would not be still.

A bump on the top of my head jarred my jaw and broke our kiss.

And it was then that I realised there was an unusual magic going on.

'Fleur,' I gasped, seeing my feet dangling a few feet above the floor of my room in The Guild. 'What's happening?'

Fleur's wings of cobalt and silver were sprawled wide, resplendent in its rich plumage. They flapped powerfully in every heartbeat. But it is Fleur's eyes that rivet my attention. Her sapphire eyes refracted a prism of colours, and they look struck at the sight of me.

I felt something beating like a pulse at the core of my spine…I reached my hands behind me and felt the brush of something soft. Almost like feathers… almost as if…

I craned my neck over my shoulder. And saw a pair of translucent wings, not made of feathers, but of wispy white fog reminiscent of a patronus.

Wings? I have wings? My rationale mind tried to catch up. And failed. I searched Fleur's face for answers but she was looking just as mystified as I was.

'Fleur, what is happening?' I could not hide the tinge of panic in my voice.

'Vous… Ma paire .. mon autre aile. I thought it was myth. It hasn't happened to Veelas for decades…maybe even centuries.'

'Fleur, in plain English, please?'

'You… it seems my veela magic has recognised you as my other wing. My magical complement. My pair.' Fleur said barely above a whisper.

'Fleur.. what do you mean? I have no Veela blood, how can I be your pair?'

'Your magic and mine, zey are perfect complements. I am not...we are not ready for zis path 'Ermione. I am sorry.'

Apparently I am not going to get any logical answers. My patience was wearing thin.'Sorry for what Fleur?!'

'For doing zis. Obliviate…'

.

.

And Hermione's eyes were focused again. They were back in Fleur's home.. the flames in the fireplace spit feebly, almost dying in the cool night air. They were still standing across each other. And the space between them was now more pronounced after the flood of memories have receded from Hermione's mind.

'Fleur, there is something you are not telling me. This thing… the memory in my mind. We.. kissed before. Why would you take that away from me?'

'Ermione it was for our own good.' Fleur could not quite meet her eyes. 'It was ze day before I graduated and you were just starting at ze Guild. We won't be able to follow through ze pairing ritual. It would just be difficult for us both.'

'Can you just please..' Hermione threw up her hands in exasperation. 'Explain what being your other wing means? In case you forgot, I am not privy to the cultural norms of the Veela.'

What happened next took Hermione by complete surprise that she forgot being indignant.

With a low feral growl, Fleur pounced on the younger witch.

Her arms wrapped possessively around Hermione's slight frame as she ravished startled, open lips.

Hermione's arms hung limply on her sides, assaulted by the feeling of being deeply wanted, so desperately desired that her lips started to burn at the insistent touch of Fleur's greedy, hungry lips.

There was no gentleness. Not like the kiss from memory. This was rough, sweet savagery. A kiss that claimed Hermione's ragged breaths in every stroke of tongue, teeth and lips.

When they parted, Hermione unconsciously leaned forward, instantly missing the hot furnace of Fleur's mouth. Her mind was clouded with hazy thoughts...

'Fleur,' Hermione didn't recognise this dry, husky version of her own voice. She clutched the blonde's upper arms, relishing the feel of soft skin hinted underneath. 'I need.. gods Fleur you're too addicting. I can't think straight.'

The blonde chuckled at the brunette's candor. 'Well, zat's an understatement.' She twirled a lock of Hermione's auburn hair in her hands. 'Zis is what it means to be each uzzer's pair, ma belle. Our minds may not understand, but our bodies, our magics will constantly crave for each other. It is a hunger zat is relentless and it will not slow down until we commit and consummate in, what muggles would call, a wedding ceremony.'

The word wedding sliced through Hermione's fog. 'What?! I am in the middle of a case! I am still starting my career. I can't-'

'Which is why I made you forget, only for a little while. Things like zese don't work in long distances… both of us would become mad.' Fleur rested her hands loosely around Hermione's waist. 'You may not be Veela, but my Veela blood recognised you as my equal. Once we consummate we will be able to share each other's magic at will. Zat's why when we kissed ze first time, I gave you wings.'

'But what happens if we..' Hermione instantly hated what she was about to suggest. 'Not consummate?'

Fleur leveled her gaze at the brunette. There was a question behind that question somewhere. 'Ermione, we don't have to do anything you don't want. I have been able to repress my…urges, simply because I lost Gabrielle. If we don't do anything about zis, it is fine.'

Instinctively, Hermione knew it was a load of lies. 'I don't believe you.'

'And you are right not to. The more a Veela pair bonds, ze easier it is to detect each other's lies. Which is why, I'm giving you back this.'

Fleur held out the glass vial containing the strand of hair Hermione found in the crime scene.

The brunette's eyes widened with shock as she snatched the vial from the blonde's hand. 'You stole my evidence?'

'And gave it back to you.' Fleur stated, with no trace of remorse.

Hermione stepped out of Fleur's hold. She paced the house in agitated steps.

'What were you planning, Fleur? Were you going to analyse it and slip it back into my pocket without my knowing?' Hermione ran a shaky hand through her hair as another possibility entered her mind. 'Or…were you covering someone's tracks?'

'Ermione, I simply didn't want you to go to ze Guild lab to find its DNA match.'

'And why would you want to do that? I thought you wanted to solve this case?' Hermione shook her head, incredulous. 'I can't believe I trust... I trusted you, Fleur. I am going now…my mind, my body can only take so much in a day. I don't care if you are my destiny. I have a case to solve.'

Hermione grabbed her coat and stormed towards the door.

'Wait, 'Ermione please.' Fleur's grip on the younger witch's wrist was strong and firm. 'Zat's ze 'air of Gabrielle in ze glass vial. Zat wretched siren has been leaving it in all 'er crime scenes to taunt me. If you run zis through ze Guild, they will open Gabrielle's case. Zey will interrogate my family, meddle in my affairs, slow down my investigation.'

The younger witch wrenched her hand away from Fleur's grip. Her chestnut eyes blazed with burning, frustrated anger.

'Well, that's not my problem now, isn't it.' Hermione retorted before slamming the door in Fleur's face and Disapparating into the bleak night.

A/N: Thank you for patiently waiting for this update. I haven't forgotten this fic. In case you are looking for something sweeter, do check my Fleurmione drabble 'Mysterious F' or my Elsanna/Fleurmione crossover 'A Different Magic'.

I will try to PM in response to your questions or violent comments in the Review page. You could also bug me in Tumblr, just look for swashbuckling-pen.

=)

See you around. And thank you for staying with me. (hugs!)