A/N Thanks for all the faves and story alerts – love to all the reviewers
This one is a little short but you will be ok
Chapter 5
They sat at the table in silence. It was not an uncomfortable silence, but it was weighty with the magnitude of things unsaid. Hermione sighed as she managed to spoon some soup into her mouth, content with the warm broth as it filled her stomach. Fleur stood looking out the window, giving Hermione some space, she watched a red throated pipit as he happily hopped around the garden.
Hermione was watching Fleur as she ate, trying to figure out what to tell her friend, would she think that she was losing her mind if she told her about the Bellatrix inside her head? She had been through so much since she had last seen Fleur that she did not know even where to begin, but one thing she did know was that Fleur was taking care of her, had taken care of her for a few days now surely she did this because she cared, certainly this would mean that she could trust the Veela.
Fleur turned form her position by the window, it was not lost on her that Hermione was watching her, she could practically see the synapses in the logical witch's mind firing as she tried to figure out whatever it was that was puzzling that intelligent mind. Fleur smiled at the young witch as she sat next to her. She had the almost uncontrollable urge to reach over and sweep Hermione's bushy mane out of her face, but she fought to control the urge as she did not want to startle the young witch or worse make her feel uncomfortable.
Hermione bit her lip as she watched Fleur sit beside her, the French witch seemed to be holding her own hand and Hermione wanted to be holding that hand too, she felt almost drawn to her blonde friend, needing her contact. In a moment of bravery Hermione reached over and placed her hand on Fleur's who in turn wrapped her hand around the young witch's. Hermione closed her eyes and let out a breath, she could feel the warmth and comfort radiating from Fleur's hand as though it were a warming spell spreading throughout her body.
Fleur watch her young friend as she seemed to relish the comfort of simply holding her hand. She fought to stop her heart from racing, this was not the time for her to be thinking of her own feelings towards Hermione and she quickly pushed down the butterflies and thrill of her attraction to the English witch. Instead Fleur lifted the precious hand that was within her own to her face and so softly laid her lips on Hermione's hand before lowering it so slowly to her lap.
"Would that I could kiss all your 'urts away 'Ermione." There was sorrow in the Veela's voice, if it took every moment she had left Fleur knew that she would do everything in her power to chase these hurts away and protect Hermione from ever feeling them again. She let her eyes fall over the young witch and again felt the surge of rage at the cuts, bruises and scars that were visible on her body, whoever did this would pay she silently vowed. She smiled again at Hermione, a gentle and comforting smile, as she very lightly used her thumb to stroke the hand held within her own.
Hermione sighed, taking comfort in the soothing motion of Fleur's thumb as she fought to order her thoughts and figure out what she was going to tell Fleur. What was it she was afraid of she thought to herself? But then she knew the answer, Bellatrix had caused her so much harm that even she could not tell whether the voice she heard in her mind actually was the psychotic witch or was it nothing more than a memory, a remnant of the time she spent at the manner, a piece of her mind so badly damaged that it's sole purpose was to perpetuate the torture that Lestrange had inflicted upon her.
"Why were you crying in ze boat 'ouse?" Fleur asked, she had to start somewhere and this seemed the least frightening place to remind the fragile young witch of. Hermione considered the question and blushed as she thought of her moment of selfishness, "They left me," she said and her voice was still hoarse, causing her to speak in almost a whisper, after a brief moment she said, "again." That word held so much hurt, pain and anger in it that Fleur was stunned. She did not quite know what to say or to think about what Hermione had said, of all the responses she was thinking she would get from the young witch, this had certainly not been one that she considered. Fleur continued to stroke Hermione's hand, "Do you mean Ron and 'Arry?" she asked softly. A single tear spilled from Hermione's eye as she nodded. Hermione was overwhelmed with the feeling that she was being selfish and felt the explanation tumble from her lips, "Harry had no choice, he left me to save the world, bloody hero complex he couldn't stop himself. Ronald though, I was so angry at him, it's ridiculous really. He told me about Lavender and the time he spent at Shell cottage and all I could think was that he would rather be with her than me and I began to wonder..."
The tears were spilling from Hermione's eyes but she seemed more in control of her emotions than she had the last few days so when she paused Fleur hid her anger at the words she had heard and pushed for more information, "What did it make you wonder 'Ermione?" Hermione looked up hearing her name roll off of the Veela's lips and took a shakey breath before answering, " Was he with her after he left me at Malfoy Manner?" her response came out as a very low whisper but Fleur caught it just the same and this time she could not hide the shock or confusion on her face. At the sight of Fleur's reaction Hermione dissolved, great shudders wracked her aching body as tears she could not stopped spilled from her eyes. She tried to pull her hand from Fleur's so that she could wipe her face but instead felt Fleur pulling her into her arms and did not fight it.
And so the two sat, Hermione's head resting in the crook of Fleur's neck and Fleur's arms securely wrapped around Hermione as it felt as though both of their hearts were breaking. Fleur tried to process the information that Hermione had given her, she had so many questions, Ron had left her at Malfoy Manner? How long was she there? What had happened to her there? How had she gotten away? She pushed all these questions aside and turned her attention to Hermione, the sobs had stopped, she looked down to find Hermione's eyes were closed. The young witch must have been exhausted and no wonder, healing took a lot of energy not to mention the cornucopia of emotions the young witch seemed to be enduring. Fleur picked up the young witch easily and it reminded her of how much weight her friend had lost and she swore inwardly that she would try to get her to eat every time she woke up. She carried her precious cargo back to the bed and as she approached the bed she felt the fragile body in her arms stiffen and begin to cling to her. "I will not leave you 'Ermione, you 'ave my word." Fleur stated, anticipating the younger witch's concerns given what had just been said in the kitchen, Hermione relaxed instantly at the words of reassurance as Fleur sat on the bed with Hermione in her lap and swung her legs up onto the bed. After some wriggling to get comfortable Fleur summoned the blankets and covered them both up.
Fleur was sitting with her back against the headboard and softly stroked Hermione's head. She cast her eyes around the room, the window was open as they had not had their morning visit from Ron's owl Pigwidgen, the letters for both Hermione and Fleur were still resting on the desk on the other side of the room and that reminded Fleur of the letter she had written through the night. She considered whether the improvement in Hermione meant that the letter did not need to be sent but concluded that what she had been told by her young friend had actually reaffirmed that she needed to send the letter. She needed all the information she could get and knew only one person who would be willing to help her that she could trust.
Fleur turned her attention to the witch laying in her lapped and was greeted with big brown eyes watching her. She smiled, leaned down and placed a gentle kiss on Hermione's forehead. Hermione smiled at Fleur and genuinely seemed to be calm but that did not stop the lines of worry spreading across the young witch's face. "Tell me 'Ermione, what 'as you so worried?" Fleur asked. Hermione blinked at the Veela and whispered, "I am afraid you will think I have lost my mind when I tell you that I am being attacked." Hermione lowered her gaze away from the French witch, she couldn't bear to see the look on Fleur's face if she believed that she was crazy. Fleur swallowed, what could Hermione mean 'attacked' she was safe here, no one knew where she was. Fleur managed to keep the puzzled look off of her face as she continued to stroke Hermione's head, "'Oo is attacking you?" Fleur decided to entertain the notion as Hermione was clearly afraid of being disbelieved, but she was beginning to think that Hermione's mind was broken after all.
The French witch had managed to surprise Hermione again by not outright calling her batshit crazy. She decided to answer, "Bellatrix," Fleur stiffened and couldn't stop herself from looking around to see if the psychotic witch was lurking under the bed. Hermione saw Fleur look around and smiled at her, "she is in my head," she told the Veela as she held her eyes conveying her sincerity through her gaze. Fleur held the young witch's gaze and could tell that she believed with all her heart what she was saying was true and so she nodded. Fleur was not quite sure what she was nodding for, it was not an affirmation that she understood because she definitely didn't, but she believed that Hermione believed it and that was all she needed, "I will find a way to 'elp you fight 'er," she told the young witch. Hermione studied Fleur's face and could tell that the older witch meant it, satisfied with that she closed her eyes, "you already are, more than you even know." With that Hermione burrowed in deeper into Fleur's lap.
Fleur stroked the young witch's head and continued to worry about her as she felt Hermione's breathing slow and just like that the young witch was asleep having unloaded some of the burden her soul was carrying. Fleur continued to stroke the young witch's head and wished that she could figure out what was going on with her and how she could help her. She lifted her head as the owl landed on the window ledge and then hoped down onto the bed. Fleur carefully removed two letters, one for Hermione in the neat handwriting of Molly Weasley and one for herself, Bill's chicken scratch excuse for penmanship. She sighed and tossed the two letters aside and then picked up the letter she had written earlier, she looked at the envelope she had neatly addressed to Ginny Weasley and hopped that the youngest Weasley would consent to help her. She held the letter out to Pigwidgeon, "Do not give this letter to anyone ozer zan Ginny please," she asked the bird who gave an indignant hoot and flew out of the window again, excited to have finally been given a return letter.