Chapter 3 One Step Forward, Two Steps Back
She rose from her seat, letters in her lap forgotten as they fell to the floor, and moved to leave the room. Hermione sat up, "Wait...please...don't leave me." She whimpered, her voice croaky from her dry throat but the pleading was there all the same. Fleur stopped at the door and turned to face Hermione on the bed, who looked back at her with wide brown eyes, dark and glistening with unspent tears as fear danced across her face. The bushy haired young witch looked so vulnerable, so fragile, that Fleur could do nothing but comply with the request and so she stepped back over to the fallen letters, picked them up and placed them with the others. She poured water from the jug by the bed into a glass and sat on the edge of the bed, handing the cool drink to Hermione for her throat. The young witch took the glass and shakily raised it to her lips, Fleur noticed Hermione's trembling hands and gently raised her own in an attempt to steady them slightly, so that she could drink without spilling the water.
Instinctively Hermione jerked away from the touch, letting the glass slip from her hands, spilling the cold water over the bed as the glass crashed to the floor and shattered. Fleur did not move, she simply held her hands still where Hermione could see them and waited for the wide eyed young witch to calm. Hermione had jerked to the top corner of the bed and was clutching her knees to her chest, her eyes darting around the room as though she was trying to plan her escape. Fleur examined the young one before her, who now looked like a child more than ever, as she began a subtle rocking. Fleur knew she had to do something as the young witch was beginning to scratch at her arms, she presumed subconsciously, leaving angry red marks and taking the scabs from some of the old wounds that were there. Fleur reached forwards slowly and gently placed her hands on Hermione's, making soothing sounds as she did so. She did not try to stop Hermione from scratching herself, but was simply hoping that the warmth of their hands touching would be enough to get the young witch's attention, she was right. Hermione stopped scratching and looked at Fleur as a whimper escaped her lips. "Ma Petite I am not going to 'urt you I promise." Hermione did not respond but she did not flinch away from Fleur either and so Fleur slowly made her way across the bed towards the scared young witch making soothing sounds as she did so.
Hermione studied Fleur as she approached her, there was fear and confusion on her face and Fleur began to wonder if her mind had been damaged, what had this young witch gone through? Fleur stopped approaching Hermione, she did not want to crowd her as she was already unsettled, however as she stopped something that Fleur couldn't distinguish flitted across the young witch's face. The Veela had a moment to wonder if she should brace for an attack from her patient before Hermione launched herself desperately at her. Like a small child she clung to Fleur as though her very next breath depended on not letting go of the French witch, Fleur wrapped her arms around her young patient and soothingly rubbed her back, "shhh, you are safe now Ma Petite, you are safe." Hermione buried her head in Fleur's chest and began sobbing. Fleur was certain her mind was damaged because the Hermione she knew would never let anyone see her this vulnerable, and again she wondered what had happened to her.
The sobbing stopped after a few minutes but Fleur continued her soothing motions as she felt the small body wrapped in her arms was still trembling. Fleur decided to try talking to her young patient, she knew that there was a chance that not much of what she said would sink in but still felt it was worth a try. "Ma Petite are you not 'ungry? Mon Dieu you are wasting away," She began stroking Hermione's head with her free hand and gently rocking her, "perhaps you would prefer some coffee? I 'ave a French blend brewing in ze kitchen zat I am particularly fond of hmm? What do you say 'Ermione 'ow about some coffee and some soup?" she stopped speaking for a moment and was afraid that maybe Hermione couldn't understand what had she said after all.
Moments later however Hermione was calming some and appeared to be nodding her head. Fleur smiled to herself as she very gently prized the young woman off of her, Hermione moved back to the head of the bed and then edged uncertainly to the side. Fleur reached to the bedside table and picked up her wand and with a quick swish she cast "reparo" and the glass set itself on the bedside table back repaired. Then she cast a quick but subtle drying spell on Hermione taking care of the earlier spill. Fleur smiled reassuringly at a startled Hermione who seemed to be trying to figure out what had just happened. Fleur became more and more concerned about her young friend who had said nothing since she woke up other than begging Fleur not to leave her. She gently placed her hand on Hermione's and then slid off the bed, inviting the young witch to join her.
Hermione tentatively placed her bare feet on the floor and braced herself against Fleur's hand as she stood on a pair of very shaky legs. Fleur watched her preparing in case she would have to catch her young patient if her legs gave out, she saw pain in Hermione's eyes but the pain didn't reach her face or lips; she did not complain instead Hermione simply took a deep breath and nodded at Fleur as she took a small step towards the door. Fleur walked slowly beside the shuffling young witch and when they made it to the kitchen she eased her gently into the seat nearest the stove for warmth and set about warming the soup she had prepared last night. Once the soup was taken care of she poured two half cups of coffee and set one on the table in front of Hermione and one at her own place before going back to the stove and stirring the soup.
Fleur turned to Hermione to find her with her hands wrapped around the cup as though trying to draw every piece of heat from the cup possible. Fleur let her eyes drift over Hermione's bruised and far too thin form and felt a pang in her heart, she lifted her eyes to the battered young witch's face and noted again that Hermione had silently been watching her. Fleur smiled and turned back to her soup, wishing that she could get inside Hermione's head, hear what she was thinking or at least do something that would help her young friend. She shook the thought away and served two bowls of soup to the table and took the seat next to Hermione whose eyes had followed her the entire time. Fleur tried to ignore the fact that every movement she made was being watched and set about salting her soup.
When she realised that Hermione had not even registered that there was food in front of her she drew her attention to it by warning, "Be careful please 'Ermione ze soup is 'ot" in a soft voice. Hermione tore her gaze from Fleur and turned her mute stare on the bowl of vegetable soup on the table in front of her, after a moment she licked her lips and picked up her spoon. Fleur smiled as the frail young witch dipped the spoon into the soup however as she raised the spoon to her lips the injured witch's trembling hands deposited most of the spoonful back into the bowl and Hermione sighed frustratingly. Fleur went over to the counter and took out a plate and a loaf of bread and began tearing the bread up, once she was done she set the plate with the bread on it down beside Hermione's bowl and smiled at her.
As Fleur sat down she was relieved to see that Hermione was ravenously grabbing at the bread, soaking up the soup and shovelling it into her mouth. "'Ermione, I know you are 'ungry but please take your time or you will make yourself sick," Fleur warned. However it seemed that Hermione was unable to control herself and continued to shove food into her mouth, she must have been starving, Fleur reached out and gently placed her hand over Hermione's bread to stop her for a moment, "you will get sick Ma Petite." The frail young witch's eyes widened and Fleur noted fear on her face again, "I will not 'urt you and I will not take your food away from you, I just do not want any more 'arm to come to you." Fleur pulled her hand away from the bread and Hermione picked up a piece of bread and dipped it in her soup again, this time eating much more slowly, Fleur smiled reassuringly at her and Hermione continued to eat but never tore her eyes off of Fleur, she appeared not to trust her.
Fleur finished her soup and watched Hermione eat as she sipped her coffee, when suddenly Hermione jerked her head to the side startling Fleur. Hermione's eyes were wider than Fleur had ever seen, pupils dilated and she began rapidly shaking her head, she was whispering something that Fleur could not quite make out. Fleur strained to understand what the young witch was saying but was unsuccessful, she did not however miss the fear and pleading in her tone. Fleur stood unsure of what to do as she stepped towards Hermione. The young witch turned to Fleur and cried out, "no, please" before she seemed to be thrown from her chair and against the wall, Fleur watched on in astonishment. Hermione's breathing had increased and she appeared to be begging as she curled into a ball and began writhing and screaming a scream that made the blood in Fleur's veins run absolutely cold as she could only watch on in terror as Hermione continued to writhe in excruciating pain. If Fleur did not know any better she would say that someone was casting crucio on Hermione, but she knew that no one had breached her wards.
Fleur sank to her knees and did the only thing she could think to do, she stroked Hermione's head and reassured her that she was there; it was at this point that Fleur noticed a musky scent hanging off Hermione. Hermione was shaking but she had stopped screaming and writhing and was whispering something over and over, Fleur leaned down close to Hermione's head so she could hear what it was that she was saying, "Bellatrix...please...stop" Hermione sobbed. Fleur's eyes widened as she gently lifted Hermione into her arms and held he. Blood dripped out of Hermione's nose and ears, her entire body was trembling and drenched in sweat, Hermione had soiled herself. Fleur held Hermione tightly as she encouraged her to fight off an attacker she could not see. After what seemed like hours but was likely no more than 20 minutes Hermione stilled herself completely and her breathing became slow and deep, Fleur smiled and relaxed a little not sure if Hermione had fallen asleep in her arms or had passed out but hoping that either way she was getting some rest.
Fleur changed her position on the floor as her leg, which had been trapped underneath her, was falling asleep, as she did so Hermione whimpered and then shivered. Fleur held her close as she propped herself against the wall, and pulled her wand out cleaning up the dried blood on Hermione's face and casting a quick scourgify on Hermione's clothing, which had began to smell of sweat, blood and other things. She then summoned a blanket and wrapped it around the young witch as she continued to stroke her head. Fleur sat there comforting her young friend while she rested, as she did so she cast her memory back a few weeks. She had been at Shell Cottage with Bill when they heard that someone had breached their wards. The couple had run outside to find a party of battered victims who told them that they should expect an equally as battered Golden Trio. Hours later when they had not turned up Bill began to panic about the safety of his brother, but Fleur had talked to the young Lovegood woman and she knew that Hermione had been tortured, Fleur knew that it was not Ronald nor Harry that they needed to be concerned about. Bill went to the Order and tried to get them to move against Malfoy Manor in a rescue attempt but the risk had been deemed too great and so they sat and waited. It sickened Fleur to think that the Order had just written on the three teenagers like that and she had been fraught with worry until a few days ago when rumors that the trio had been sighted breaking into Gringotts and were then headed to Hogwarts. Fleur and Bill had not hesitated in heading to Hogwarts themselves, each hoping to be a support to someone different. It wasn't that Fleur did not care about Bill's brother, but Christmas had also demonstrated that when the going tough, Ron ran. Hermione on the other hand would not run, and to Fleur that was a much bigger concern.
Fleur had not voiced her concern to Bill about Hermione, he would not have understood. Previously when she had discussed the Tri-Wizard tournament with Bill she had skirted over the furtive looks she and Hermione had given each other in favour of having a smooth first year of marriage. It soon became apparent however that perhaps Fleur's mother knew what she was talking about when she had warned Fleur about marrying so young. She and Bill start to have small differences of opinion on things that did not matter, but the rift between them grew when Ronald had appeared at Christmas time with that awful girl on his arm. Bill had wanted to leave them to it, Fleur had wanted to give Ron a piece of her mind for not sticking with his friends, the whole thing had ended in a huge argument between the married couple that left Fleur under no illusions that their morals were not quite the same after all. Fleur did not know if Bill had realised that that argument had been the beginning of the end of their short marriage, in fact she doubted he knew at all that their marriage was coming to an end, she imagined that when Ron went crawling back to his friends Bill had thought everything had gone back to normal.
The fact remained that no one knew what had happened during the weeks between the battered party landing at Shell Cottage and the break in at Gringotts except the trio themselves. If Fleur was going to help Hermione then she need much more detail than she had and of the only three people who knew what had happened one of them was dead and another was one lying in her arms damaged and seemingly unable to communicate which left only Ron who could shed some light on what had happened to Hermione at Malfoy Manor.
Fleur was still sub consciously stroking Hermione's head as she pondered how to question Ron without telling anyone where she was. It took her a few moments but she resigned herself to the fact that she needed some help with this. Hermione was stirring again, another nightmare, and Fleur decided to take advantage of the situation casting the featherweight spell on Hermione and lifting her, carrying her to the bed. She slipped into the bed beside her and Hermione settled curled into her side again clutching to Fleur like a scared child. Fleur continued to stroke Hermione's head in the same soothing manner she had used since the beginning of this most recent episode, but at the same time summoned parchment and quill and began to write. When she had finished her letter she set it on the bedside cabinet and settled beside her patient closing her eyes for a moment. She knew the owl would come with the morning, it always did and then she would be able to get some help for Hermione, she only hoped that it was not too late, that Hermione's mind was not too far damaged.