A/N: I know I said that I would be updating more now, but I got a bit stuck with the story. Thanks to SilverStarFire15 I have a direction to follow and new plot for the story. Enjoy!
Chapter 13: The Incident
"Harry, would you mind staying after?" The class had been rather dull and full of lecture, but Bill still had to tell Harry about his date with Hermione. "I wanted to let you know that I've asked Hermione on a date for Friday." With wide eyes the boy nodded, but didn't speak. "I made sure it was alright with Dumbledore and he said that I could only tell three people in this castle, no one else is to know. Not even the professors."
Harry had been expecting this at some point, but was still shocked. "So I'm guessing Ginny knows, but what about-"
"Ron? I talked to him last night, he gave me the 'if you hurt her I'll beat you up' speech and I expect to hear it from you as well."
Bill waited but Harry just shook his head. "As long as you know I don't think I have to say anything." The men shook hands and Harry left for his next class.
Just one more class until the day is over with. Unfortunately, the class was Gryffindor and Slytherin first years.
The first years were being pressured by the older students to hate each other as part of tradition, but it was getting old. Even in the world after Hogwarts people talk about which house they had been in, Bill had never taken part of that practice because he didn't care. He had been in Gryffindor and had been a good student with many accomplishments. It shouldn't have mattered what dorms he stayed in.
Eventually the end of the day came; the class had been uneventful so the students were all caught up on the material. Returning to his room Bill walked in to find Fritz running around in a frenzy.
"Dobby is sorry Mr. Weasley, these flowers arrived and the krup started going crazy. I thinks it was the pollen so I depollenated it just before you came back."
"Don't worry about it Dobby, do you know who the flowers are from?" There was no card in sight and Dobby shook his head. "Alright, I'm going to take these to Professor Sprout and I'll take Fritz on a walk to try and clear his head out."
"Bill, what can I do for you?" Professor Sprout had been cleaning up the greenhouse from the last class and was getting ready to walk back to the castle. "Oh, what beautiful flowers."
"That's what I'm here about, someone sent them to me and they made my krup start acting strangely before an elf depollenated them. Is there any way to tell if there was some sort of spell or potion used on the flowers?"
"Let me check," A few waves of her wand and Professor Sprout nodded. "There was a very strong potion used while the flowers were growing so their pollen would have also been made into a love potion of sorts. It would seem as though you have an admirer Professor."
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At dinner Thursday night the Headmaster stood to make an announcement. "I believe you all remember the Triwizard Tournament that was held here at Hogwarts three years ago. It is my honor to introduce two of the champions: Viktor Krum," the girls in the room started screaming as the world renowned quidditch played walked into the room with authority. "And Fleur Delacour." The boys swooned as the veela walked past them. "Both of whom will be staying at Hogwarts for a few days. Please give them the warm Hogwarts welcome they deserve." There was clapping and more chatter from the students as Krum and Fleur sat at the end of the staff table. Looking down to the Gryffindor table, Bill shrugged at Hermione and Ginny since Ron was busy staring at Fleur.
After Bill had finished eating he went down to the Gryffindor table. Not surprisingly, the guests had also made their way to the group.
"'Allo 'Arry, I 'ave missed you very much. I trust you are well?" Fleur kissed both cheeks of the raven haired boy earning a glare from Ginny.
"Hermioninny, how haff you been?" Krum took the girls hand and kissed it.
Bill, Ginny, and Ron stood awkwardly to the side as the pairs greeted each other; there were plenty of stares from the younger students and glares as well.
"Who are your friends, Hermioninny?" Krum turned to the three and shook hands as they were introduced. "It is very nice to meet you all."
"And I am Fleur Delacour," the blonde walked over and introduced herself as well, spending some extra time shaking Bill's hand. "You were at the tournament, no?"
Bill nodded. "I was here for Harry with my mum." It was odd that she had remembered the fact that he had been present.
"You 'ave changed somehow." Of course she had also remembered the ponytail and earring. Bill nodded again. "I theenk you look better this way."
Looking past the girl at Hermione (who was glaring a hole in the back of the girls head, as well as many other students) Bill shrugged and was met by an additional shrug from Harry. Krum looked back to Harry and noticed that Hermione was not happy.
"Harry, why don't you show me and Fleur around the castle."
"Great idea, yeah. C'mon Fleur, I'll show you around." The awkwardness in Harry's voice was almost comical.
Hermione was still angry. "Can you believe that woman?"
"Beautiful, isn't she?" Still in a daze, Ron walked after the three in hopes to spend more time with the veela.
"Let's so get some tea in my room." Bill wanted to get the angry girls out of the Great Hall so they could get as angry as they wanted without disturbing anyone else.
"Who does she think she is? Coming into our school and openly flirting, I mean does she really think she's so special that every single guy she wants will just do as she commands?" Ginny was ranting on in typical Weasley style as Hermione sat back sipping her tea and petting Fritz. Instead of bursting out with emotions Hermione had learned to analyze them before making rash accusations. "I mean, she was trying really hard to flirt with Bill and he didn't take the bait."
Catching the brunette's eye, Bill winked. He knew she felt a bit insecure with the Fleur thing but she had to know that he wasn't going to fall for it. As the pair sat smiling at each other someone knocked and Bill went to let them in.
"Hello Harry, done your tour already?" Opening the portrait a bit more Bill spotted Ron, Krum, and of course Fleur.
"Not quite, Krum wanted a word with Hermione and I figured she would be here. Besides, Ron has been literally drooling all over the castle."
The awkwardness intensified as the group wandered into the common room. Ginny glared but sat on the couch with Hermione and huffed.
"Hermione, Viktor wanted to speak with you." The words came out of Harry's mouth with tension and almost anguish. "And Ginny, I'd like to speak to you." The pairs walked out of the room into the corridors leaving Fleur with the Weasley boys.
"May I?" The French woman indicated to the tea pot.
"Oh of course, I'm sorry." Bill pulled a tea cup from a cupboard and filled it with the warm liquid.
"So how old are you Beel?"
Taking a quick glance as his baby brother, Bill chuckled. "I'm twenty-even."
Fleur smiled. "And what did you do before becoming a professor?"
"I was a curse breaker with Gringotts Bank."
Setting the tea cup down on the table, Fleur leaned in seductively. "What are you doing tomorrow night? Would you like to get dinner with me?"
None of them noticed that Hermione had returned from her chat with Krum, but Bill sat in his chair shocked from being asked out. "I already have dinner plans actually," he finally responded slowly.
"Romantic date or a friend date?" This woman was trying to cause a disturbance in the school and between the group, Bill knew that.
"A romantic date. No, I won't tell you who it is or where it's going to be. If you want to go on a date ask my brother." Bill stood and turned to go towards his room but caught sight of Hermione standing in the doorway. She was smiling and left without another word.
A moment later Fleur also left the room with her head held high and her blonde hair billowing behind her. The woman was no used to rejection, even from men who already had dates planned.
Hermione returned later in the night with a few deserts from the kitchen. "I hope you don't mind, I just figured that I could come by on my rounds."
Smiling, Bill pointed to the couch. "I don't mind at all, I've gotten so accustomed to you being here I was kind of starting to worry that you were still upset." Bill watched as the girl picked up a pastry from the plate and took a bite, she wasn't the jealous type nor was she an overly possessive type.
"I wasn't upset at you, I was actually quite glad when you told her off." The comment caused the pair to laugh. "But you still haven't told me what we're doing for our date."
"I figured we could do dinner and spend some time getting to know each other a little better. So meet here at about seven?"
Hermione nodded. "What should I wear?"
Girls are always so concerned about what to wear. Bill joked to himself, "Well I wouldn't get too dressed up, and I'm thinking casual."
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Classes the next day was brutal for Hermione and Bill both, the worst was obviously defense against dark arts because neither could focus completely. After classes were finished Hermione ran back to Gryffindor tower with Ginny.
"Ok, he said casual so jeans and a nice top?" Hermione brought a pair of light jeans out of her trunk and a few shirts she liked so Ginny could look at them. They decided on a loose fitting blue shirt with a swopping neckline.
"Are you going to wear your hair down?" Ginny asked, and when Hermione nodded Gin charmed her curls to defrizz and fall down her back. Then she took a piece of hair from the front and bobby pinned it back. "Now, jewelry, are you going to wear your usual necklace?"
"Is there something wrong with it?" Grabbing at her neck where the silver chain holding a star laid, she had worn it every day since starting Hogwarts.
Shaking her head Ginny smiled. "I don't think there's a problem with it, I was making sure you were wearing it. It'll be a nice conversation starter."
After the usual light makeup was applied the girls left the common room.
Turning the corner to Bill's corridor Hermione bumped into someone. "Sorry." She replied quickly stepping backwards.
"Didn't I tell you to watch where you were going Mudblood?"
"I apologized, Malfoy. Now please move." He was not going to get her all riled up right before her date.
That stupid smirk. The confidence Malfoy had was almost disgusting. "You still owe me an apology from last time Granger." His grey eyes showed an almost evil look as he leaned forward. "And seeing as you're all nice and dressed up I think you should show me a good time."
Just as Malfoy was pushing Hermione against the wall footsteps echoed around them.
"Mr. Malfoy, if you don't get off of her right this minute I will personally deliver you to the headmaster and ask him to expel you." Bill had his wand drawn and looked at the ferret murderously. "Expect a few detentions for harassing another student and for trying to force yourself on her."
Scoffing Malfoy took a few steps back. "And you should expect to hear from my father." As he walked away Bill kept watching to make sure there was enough distance between them.
"Are you alright?" In a split second he had gone from protective to worried. Checking the back of Hermione's head for a bump he put his arm around her tiny frame and walked them into his room. "You're going to have a sore bump back there for a couple days." Hermione winced as she put ice on it. "Can you tell me what happened?"
She hadn't been scared about the event actually happening; she knew it would have eventually anyway. She was scared about telling Bill. "I literally ran into him as I turned the corner and he wanted me to apologize for something I said awhile back. He said that since I was dressed up that I was basically going to have to have sex with him." Disgusted she rose from the couch and walked out to the balcony.
"I just needed to know what happened so I can write up a report tomorrow morning," Bill placed his arms around Hermione's waist and the pair looked out at the grounds and the sunset. "But tonight is supposed to be happy and romantic, so why don't we start dinner?"