AN: Apologies guys, I know that I have been slow to update. Normal service should resume shortly :o)
Chapter 21 Someone to Watch Over You.
Fleur spilled out of the cabinet and would have fallen to the floor, Ginny and all, had Luna not been there to steady her. The Ravenclaw, however, seemed far more concerned about Ginny than Fleur as she pulled the unconscious form of her best friend from Fleur's arms and began working to heal the wide gashes that smattered across the redhead's body.
Fleur paced the length of the basement, where was Hermione? She had swore to Fleur that she would follow right behind her! It had been at least 30 seconds and Hermione was not here. Panic built up in Fleur's chest and the frantic beat of her heart reverberated off the basement walls, deafening her as she stared at the cabinet in anticipation of Hermione's appearance. The Death Eaters in pursuit had been bursting into the room as Hermione had closed the door on Fleur and Ginny, banishing them from the Room of Requirement before Fleur could argue with her. A tiny bit of anger fuelled Fleur's adrenaline over load and she could feel her body shake. She could not believe Hermione's actions! How could she put herself in danger like that? But, as soon as Fleur had had the thought she dismissed it. Of course Hermione had acted this way, the cabinet would only carry two of them at a time, it was natural instinct for Hermione to sacrifice herself to save her friends and Fleur knew this about her. Her anger abated a little as she realised that, in spite of everything she had been through, Hermione had not lost her true self. This, however did not distract Fleur from the thought that a full minute had now gone by and Hermione had not yet appeared from the vanishing cabinet.
Fleur felt a short sharp sting in her cheek before hearing, "Fleur Delacour you help me right now!" Fleur's hand shot up to her cheek, though it didn't really hurt, had Luna just slapped her? "I am sorry about that Fleur, but you were not responding to me and I need your help with Ginny." Luna explained as she gestured to the still unconscious form of her their friend.
Fleur nodded her shocked response to Luna but the Ravenclaw had already returned her attention to the injured girl. Fleur walked over to Ginny, knelt down and began to perform all the relevant healing spells she knew. Luna called for Kreacher and instructed him to prepare to seal off the cabinet before she returned her attention to quelling the profuse bleeding from Ginny's torso while Fleur worked on her head and arms.
The cabinet door opened and Fleur registered the calming presence of Hermione, she did not need to turn around to know it was Hermione, she could feel it. Fleur made a mental note to examine this interesting piece of information later and continued to heal Ginny. Between her and Luna, they had almost stopped all the bleeding. Fleur felt rather than saw Hermione sink to the ground and turned to give the younger witch a cursory glance over, she was breathing heavily and there was a scowl on her face, but did not have any obvious injuries, was not bleeding and did not appear to be in pain and so Fleur returned her attention to Ginny.
Fleur slowly let out a sigh of relief as she finally stopped Ginny's bleeding. She heard Hermione talking to Luna and turned her attention to the pair, "'Ermione what is going on?" Fleur asked as Hermione pulled an item from her bag then reached in and pulled out another item.
"I am sending a message," Hermione answered and she raised the fang above her head and plunged it down into the diadem without offering up further explanation. Fleur watched in shock and horror as Hermione was thrown across the basement and into the wall. Fleur ran over to Hermione as she passed out, strangely Hermione was smiling. Fleur reached behind Hermione's head and laid her flat, when she pulled her hand away it came away soaked with blood, Fleur's eyes widened as she tried again to quell the rising panic in her chest.
Fleur swallowed down bile as she pulled her wand in an attempt to heal the wound on her head, before she could begin the incantation Luna held pulled her hand away, "Fleur, it's a head wound." Luna said. Tears filled Fleur's eyes unbidden as she turned her gaze pleadingly to Luna, begging her to perform the impossible. Luna smiled sadly at Fleur, gently patting the French witch's arm and got to her feet, "Mr Kreacher, have you sealed the cabinet sir?" she asked the house elf.
Kreacher turned to face the white blonde witch and scowled in part confusion and part disgust, "Kreacher has done as he was ordered." He replied curtly, voice dripping with his usual sardonic tone.
Oblivious to the shortness of his tone, sardonicism and look of disgust and smiled serenely, "Thank you Mr Kreacher, would you mind helping Ginerva and Hermione upstairs? They are unable at the moment, to make their own way." Fleur let out a sob despite Luna's tactful approach. Kreacher shuffled over to Ginny and disapperated with her, moments later he returned and then disapperated with Hermione.
Luna knelt in front of Fleur and pulled the distraught witch into her arms. Fleur's entire being shattered and she dissolved into tears. Luna rubbed Fleur's back soothingly but remained silent and let the other witch cry. Suddenly Fleur found herself letting out all of the tears she had been holding back since she first found Hermione in the boathouse and perhaps longer. Neither of the two witches knew how long they had been there but at the same time neither of them made a move to leave.
A pang of guilt struck Fleur, she was being selfish, Hermione was upstairs unconscious, hurt and should not be alone. The crying witch pulled out of Luna's arms and wiped the tears from her face but found that she could not raise her gaze to meet Luna's. Fleur took a deep breath and tried to exhale slowly, recomposing herself. The ever perceptive Luna gently lifted Fleur's chin, forcing their gazes to meet. "She feels the same way you know," Luna said, and it was a statement not a question.
Confusion passed over Fleur's face and wiped her face again sniffing loudly. As she sniffed Fleur felt her face flush, there was nothing more ugly than crying and she was certain that her face was blotchy, her eyes were red and puffy and tears messily streaked her makeup. She searched her pockets unsuccessfully for a tissue and looked up again to find Luna offering her one. Fleur took the proffered tissue and blew her nose. "What do you mean?" Fleur asked as she pushed herself to her feet.
It was Luna's turn to look confused, she had thought she had been perfectly clear then she shrugged her shoulders, if that is the way she wanted to play it. "You and Hermione are in love," she stated plainly before continuing, "The only people who don't seem to know it are the pair of you." Luna softened her revelation with an innocent smile. Fleur stared at Luna in shock as colour flushed her face, she opened her mouth to refute it but Luna ever so gently laid a finger against Fleur's parted lips. "Please don't say anything, it would only disrespect Hermione." Luna said quietly, "i understand that you need to close one door before you open another Fleur," as she spoke Luna took Fleur's hand in her own and pointed at Fleur's wedding ring, "Hermione is crying out for you, don't keep her waiting too long, she needs more than a shoulder to cry on right now, and you want to give her more, so chase the wrackspurts out of your head and tell her that you love her."
Fleur's head lowered as she felt shame wash over her from not having acted sooner, she knew that the strange platinum blonde witch had not meant what she had said as an admonishment, yet she took it that way anyway. Fleur knew that she had pushed her feelings for Hermione aside, but she had always told herself that it was for Hermione's own good. Never in a million years had Fleur considered that her inaction was having a negative impact Hermione and the decisions she had been making. Fleur looked up at Luna and was met by a smiling face, it actually looked as though the other witch was stifling a grin, Fleur raised a questioning eyebrow in Luna's direction.
Luna winked, "It looks like the knut has dropped," she said getting to her feet, "I wonder if there is any pudding in the kitchen." She finished absentmindedly as she wandered up the stairs to the kitchen to investigate. Fleur watched her friend leave the basement with something akin to utter astonishment, she considered pinching herself to see if she had dreamt the entire conversation, but when she realised that this was wishful thinking, Fleur pushed herself to her feet, wiped her face once more and headed up the stairs to the room that she shared with Hermione.
Pushing the door open, she saw that Kreacher had drawn the curtains shut, giving the room the illusion of twilight. Fleur slipped her shows off and padded over to the window, parting the curtains a little and cracking the window open to allow fresh air into the room. She slipped over to the bed and crawled on top of it, laying her head on Hermione's shoulder and staring in awe at the woman she loved, if only she could tell her. As she laid her head on Hermione's shoulder the brunette shifted in her sleep by encircling her arms around Fleur as the faintest smile danced across her sleeping lips. Fleur smiled too, it was almost as though the sleeping Hermione could read her mind and was offering her encouragement.
"I am in love with you 'Ermione Granger," Fleur whispered to the sleeping witch, "I always 'ave since I first saw you in ze great 'all sitting between 'Arry and Ronald, I could not put my finger on et zen but now I know I was falling in love wiz you." Hermione did not stir however Fleur's voice shook as the emotions overwhelmed her. A part of Fleur was glad that Hermione had not heard the confessions of love because she felt as though she was that school girl and that had been an age ago had it not? Fleur wanted to tell Hermione that she loved her in a much more romantic and meaningful moment, rather than both of them laying in bed because yet again one of them had been injured. Fleur was not sure what she would do when both of them were awake, she was not sure that it mattered. For the moment she was in the arms of the one she loved and she was going to hold on to this moment as long as she could. Fleur lay still wanting not to disturb Hermione, she took slow shallow breaths. With her eyes closed her other senses heightened, she could smell the grass, hear every drop of rain and she found it relaxing. She inhaled again and this time the scent of lavender filled Fleur's nostrils and she could not stifle the smile, she loved the scent of the lavender mixed with the scent of Hermione, it was the most wonderful smell. Fleur began to nap as she bathed in the presence of the one she loved, in her arms and bathed in her very essence, she sighed contentedly.
Hermione inhaled slowly trying to maintain the illusion that she was asleep, she was fighting hard to stop her heart from racing lest Fleur heard it, but at the same time she could hardly contain her excitement. Had she really just heard Fleur telling her she loved her? Surely not, she must have hit her head harder than she thought! Maybe she had dreamed it Hermione thought to herself, then she attempted to conjure up any number of reasons why she could not have heard what she was sure she had from maybe Fleur hit her head too' to 'maybe Fleur was dreaming or me she was'. Hermione forced her body to remain still, which wasn't too hard because the slight movement to hold Fleur in her arms had caused a wave of nausea and a pounding in her head that she would give her wand arm to relieve. Perhaps it had been one of Bellatrix's tricks, because why would Fleur say she loved her? That was it, it had to be Bellatrix, the death eater must have realised while she was in her head that Hermione secretly had feelings for Fleur and now she was toying with her.
Under normal circumstances Hermione would have been enraged at Bellatrix's trick but, for the moment at least she was relieved for as much as she loved Fleur, and she realised that was with every fibre of her being, she did not think that she had the courage to act upon that love. Besides she couldn't do anything about it at the moment, there were far more important things hanging in the balance, like the fate of the wizarding world and Harry.
"HARRY," she yelled and sat straight up in the bed. Instantly Hermione regretted the motion as she turned over the side of the bed and vomited. Fleur, despite being startled out of her day dream placed her legs one either side of Hermione and then swept her hair back and held it out of the way so that it did not get contaminated. Hermione coughed and groaned but felt a soothing hand rubbing circles in her back.
Fleur handed Hermione a clean tissue, "'ere you go Ma Petite," she said softly, "slow movements, you 'it your 'ead very 'ard." She cautioned the now very pale Hermione who was slowly laying back on her side and Fleur was encouraging her to do so. "Be still 'Ermione, et will pass and you will be fine." Fleur soothed. Hermione groaned in response before picking a spot on the wall and focused on it trying to stop her vision from swimming.
"needtotalktoRon," Hermione mumbled. Fleur froze for a moment as her heart sank, of course she wanted Ron, comfort from her best friend. Fleur felt her heart begin to crack as she held her breath, Hermione turned to Fleur, "Fleur I need to talk to that traitorous little fuck, Harry is alive and Ron knew!" Fleur resumed rubbing Hermione's back as she processed what he had been told. Hermione turned back over and stared at her spot on the wall as her world began to spin. "Please Fleur, I need to save him, Ron knows how to do that, I know he does," Hermione plead her case to Fleur.
The French witch's heart melted, she would never be able to deny Hermione anything that she needed, "'E is at Shell Cottage with Bill and ze twins, I will contact Bill and arrange a visit." Fleur explained, Hermione turned to thank Fleur, the blonde held Hermione in place. "Only if you agree to rest for ze night." Fleur compromised. Hermione's shoulders slumped and Fleur smiled at her friend's resignation.
Hermione pulled her knees to her chest and gently rocked herself, clearly distressed but Fleur did not know if this was because she felt so ill or something else. The second she thought that Fleur realised that she did know why Hermione was so upset, she felt like she had let down her best friend. Harry was like a brother to her and Hermione now knew that he was still alive and in some danger. Hermione felt that she had need to save Harry and she was not acting instantly on that need. Fleur leaned over and kissed Hermione ever so gently on the head, "Ma Petite, I will write Bill immediately and arrange to 'ave breakfast zere at Shell Cottage. I 'ave some zings to discuss wiz William and while I do zat you can discuss wiz Ronald 'ow we can save Harry." Fleur compromised. As soon as she had said out loud that she was going to address the situation between her estranged husband and herself Fleur felt her stomach fill with butterflies. She pushed the discomfort to the back of her mind, she need to help Hermione save Harry, and the Wizarding world, but after that she was taking Hermione on a long holiday.
Hermione smiled her gratitude at Fleur and at the same time marvelled at the fact that she always seemed to know what Hermione needed, even when she herself did not know. Hermione closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep as Fleur got off the bed, cleaned the vomit with a flick of her wand and went down to the Kitchen to make a pot of coffee and write a letter to inform Bill and the twins of the situation. It was going to be a long night, she knew that the most important thing to do when dealing with head injuries was to keep waking the injured person up, so she resigned herself to another sleepless night watching over Hermione. Fleur smiled as she lifted the coffee mug to her lips and savoured the first bitter sweet taste of the drink she had prepared, there was nothing else she would rather do than watch over Hermione.
Fleur headed out the kitchen and up the stairs armed with her coffee in one hand and a quill and parchment in the other, halfway up the stairs she bumped into Luna. "'Ow is Ginny?" Fleur asked the smiling girl.
Luna stopped her descent of the stairs and smiled serenely at Fleur, "Nothing that a good night's sleep won't cure, but she does seem to have a bit of a nargle issue." Luna replied. Fleur smiled at the reply, for anyone else the reply would have been odd but for Luna it was about as close to normal as she was going to get, "And how is Hermione doing?" Luna asked.
"'Er 'ead is still full of wrackspurts," Fleur replied flashing Luna a knowing smile before continuing, "but I too think that she will get great benefit from a night's sleep." Fleur nodded at Luna and then continued upstairs. After a couple of steps she turned back to Luna who was still smiling, "I am sending an owl to William, we are going to Shell cottage for breakfast. Et seems 'Ermione saw 'Arry alive but I 'ave not got all ze information, You and Ginny might want to come along?" Fleur asked
Luna's smile faltered almost imperceptibly and then became a grin, "Yes Hermione will need to speak to Ron about Harry, I am sure Ginny will want to as well. You can include us in your plans." Luna agreed. Fleur nodded and resumed her climb to the third floor, "I should like to see Fred and George as well, we haven't had sex in quite some time." Luna called up to Fleur.
The French witch spun around but Luna was already walking down the stairs away from her. Fleur shook her head and went up to the room, closing the door behind her and trying to erase the images playing through her mind as she stifled a giggle. Looking over at the bed Fleur noted that Hermione was asleep, one bare leg hanging out the bed, and she stepped over and gently slipped the leg back on the bed under the covers. She then went to the other side of the bed turned on a small bedside lamp and put quill to parchment, letting bill know that their entourage would be joining them for breakfast.