Fleur stalked through the sands of the beach nearest to Shell Cottage with anger burning in her pale blue eyes. Tilting her head to the side she glared in the cottage's direction, she was pissed off with the whole lot of them: Bill, Arthur, Molly even her own mother had annoyed her by just sitting in a corner and watching silently as the events unfolded around her.

Fleur released an angered sigh as she snapped her head back to the front. What right did they have to keep her in the dark about her lover's predicament? It had been two weeks since she had woken up from her coma and they had only just now decided to inform her that Hermione had been taken by the Death Eaters nearly two months ago. Fleur had suspected that something was wrong, had known deep down that there was something amiss but she had trusted them enough to tell her that Hermione was in danger.

And that revelation was just the tip of the iceberg. Fleur was utterly furious that the Order had done nothing to locate Hermione; at least Bill had had the decency to look ashamed when Lupin and Kingsley had sat in front of her and told her that they hadn't been and weren't going to search for her. Apparently, Hermione was just another casualty of the War and she would be missed dearly by them. Bullshit. The Veela within roared angrily at the two men in front of her, Hermione wasn't dead! So they should stop speaking as if she were.

They disgusted her. Hermione had done nothing but her best to do what she believed to be right, she was selfless and loyal but the moment she needed someone no one was there for her and she had been abandoned by those who were meant to protect her. It killed Fleur that she hadn't been able to protect her mate but at least she had an excuse, she had been in a coma so what was their excuse?

Apolline had noticed her daughter's fury and felt Fleur was justified in it but that hadn't stopped her from telling her daughter to take a long walk so she could cool off. Veela were very dangerous when their loved ones were in danger and would often lash out in their despair which could prove fatal for anyone on the receiving end of their frustrations.

The blonde Veela slowly came to a halt as her anger ebbed. She turned to look out at the ocean and a fresh wave of despair clawed at her fragile heart. Why hadn't she tried harder to stop Hermione from coming with them all those months ago? Hermione had been hurt and yet Fleur had simply let her mate go. If only she hadn't given in and watched Hermione walk out of the Order's safe house and into danger then maybe the brunette would be here with her instead of only Merlin knew where.

The sound of a distinctive crack attracted Fleur's attention away from the ocean and towards her right. She recognised the long blonde haired witch quickly getting to her feet as Luna Lovegood, though what was she doing here with a House Elf and a Goblin? Fleur's eyes widened slightly as she recalled that Luna had been declared missing during the train incident. The blonde haired Ravenclaw turned her attention to the French Veela as she approached.

"Fleur you have to help they've got Harry, Ron and Hermione, the Death Eaters, I think they're going to summon him" Fleur's heart stopped dead in her chest as an icy feeling encompassed her body at the mentioning of Hermione.

"'Ow did you get 'ere?" asked Fleur. Luna glanced down at the shy form of Dobby. Fleur followed her gaze and nodded before retrieving her wand from her back pocket.

"Take me back zere" she stated at the small elf. Dobby murmured a noise of agreement before grasping hold of the French Veela's hand. Fleur looked at Luna with determination and passion burning in her eyes.

"Go up to ze Cottage and tell everyone what 'as 'appened. We're going to bring them back" without checking to see if Luna understood her command Fleur turned to Dobby and nodded her head. Dobby quickly apparated back to Malfoy Manor with Fleur in tow.

Fleur quickly found herself standing at the bottom of a staircase with Dobby at her side. Judging from the interior she could safely assume she was inside a particularly large building, glancing behind she frowned at the unconscious Death Eater who was currently sprawled out on the floor. The sound of spells colliding with one another resounded off the walls from beyond the stairs. Listening intently the familiar voices of Harry and Ron were distinguishable and quickly Fleur was racing up the steps while Dobby vanished into thin air.

"Stupefy!" barked Harry as he pointed Wormtail's wand at Narcissa Malfoy while Ron fought with Draco. Narcissa deflected the stunning spell and they continued to battle until the Incarcerous spell collided with Narcissa and bound the witch in magical rope. Distracted, Draco was hit by a stunner from Ron.

Both boys turned round and stared at the angered French Veela as she walked past them and glared at Bellatrix Lestrange who was currently holding Hermione upright and as a shield. Underneath her hostile glare Fleur was fearful for Hermione's health as she observed her lover's appearance. The cuts, the faded scars, the trickle of blood escaping from the edge of her mouth it all added to Fleur's worst fear that Hermione had been tortured by the bitch that was currently hiding behind her weak form. She needed to get Hermione to a healer and quickly.

"Let 'er go" demanded Fleur as she kept her wand pointed in front of her. The sound of Bellatrix's laughter infuriated her and her arm straightened while her mind searched for the right spell that she would use on the deranged woman.

"Look Mudblood it's your lover. She's come to rescue you, so sweet of her isn't it" Fleur's face twisted in concern as she watched Hermione wince in pain.

But she doesn't know how broken you really are. Do you think she'll ever look at you, ever want you the same way once she finds out everything I've done to you? She'll cast you aside like the trash you are...and it'll break your heart

A small part of the dark haired brunette couldn't help but agree with the insane woman behind her. Despite her lunacy there was an element of truth to her words that Hermione couldn't deny. The idea of losing Fleur tugged painfully at her heart but the knowledge that Fleur would probably leave her once she knew the truth threatened to break her heart.

Everything happened so fast and Hermione didn't have time to blink before a great weight collapsed down on her, the sound of shattering glass filled her ears and a horrible pressure formed along her back. Horrible pain coursed throughout her entire body and threatened to take her consciousness away from her but Hermione held on, not yet.

"No!" cried out Fleur in despair as she watched the chandelier that Dobby had been tampering with collapse onto Hermione. Everything had happened in slow motion right before her eyes; Dobby had released the chandelier from its ceiling attachment above the two women and as it fell Bellatrix had jumped back out of harm's way, leaving Hermione to take the full force of the chandeliers weight.

Her heart was pounding in her ears as adrenaline coursed through her veins, a natural biological reaction to the fear that gripped her heart in a vice. The French Veela sprinted with a speed she had never experienced before and was quickly moving the shattered chandelier off of Hermione while Harry and Ron dealt with everything else.

"'Ermione can you 'ear me? Ma belle say somezing. 'Ermione please! Don't do zis to me" begged Fleur as she finally had the debris off of Hermione and the young teen in her arms. Hermione looked up into the light blue eyes of her love as they glistened with tears. She dully noticed that she couldn't feel down the right hand side of her body as Fleur held her.

"No 'Ermione you need to stay awake! Don't go to sleep!" pleaded Fleur as Hermione's eyes began to close.

Fleur barely registered that Harry, Ron and Dobby had appeared by her side and were all touching each other before the scenery changed in an instant from the Malfoy's living room to the Shell cottage beach.