April 21 1998

The beach was a beautiful on that lovely spring day. Waves caressed the white sand with gentle fingers, humming softly as it splayed about three pairs of feet. The waves washed over the smallest of feet, earning a high pitched giggle from the tiny owner. Her little, white hands clapped together twice and reached out for the incoming wave. As the wave drew closer, however, she was swept upwards, into the arms of her mother. A cry escaped her pink little lips as she reached back for the wave. Tears formed in her light blue eyes.

"Hush, ma petite," crooned her mother, rocking the baby girl in her arms. She smoothed her daughter's honey blonde wisps of hair and kissed her forehead softly.

The girl looked at her mother incredulously, her tiny mouth forming a small 'O'. She made an impatient noise and her fair eyebrows merged together.

"You are too little to be in ze water, ma petite," her mother assured her.

"Only big people can go in the water!" said her father from the other side. He leaned down to kiss his young daughter and ran to the water. A blue shirt fell to the sand as he dived into the waves. His long red hair was plastered to his face and he grinned up at his family. The little girl giggled again and clapped her hands together. Fleur smiled at her family. It really was the perfect day.

But a storm was brewing in the east. Large dark shadows formed in the sky, swirling dangerously. Fleur called out to Bill, but over the noise of the thunder, she couldn't be heard. The shadows drew nearer and one broke away from the rest, heading straight towards Fleur. She hugged her baby girl to her chest and folded inwards, to protect her. The shadow drew closer and soon, Fleur realised that it was not a storm cloud. Desperately, she called out to Bill again but it was too the late. A flash of haunting green light erupted from the shadow and Bill fell to the waves, his body limp. Screaming, Fleur ran up the beach to her little cottage, hugging her daughter. The shadow was closing in and Fleur tripped as she was hit in the back with a spell. Her daughter flew from the protection of her arms, only to be saved by the shadow. Fleur looked up at the shadow and saw the menacing face of Bellatrix Lestrange. The little girl was cradled in the Death Eater's arms, and she stroked the baby's head softly with a pointed, black talon.

"My, my, my!" cooed Bellatrix, leering down at Fleur. "What a beautiful little girl you have here. Such a pretty little thing. So much like her mother..."

"Leave her alone!" cried Fleur, desperately trying to break free of the body-binding curse.

"What about her father, though?" Bellatrix continued, ignoring Fleur's pleas. "She should have some paternal features, don't you think?"

"Don't you touch her!" Fleur screamed.

"What do you think, Greyback?"

A hooded figure appeared beside Bellatrix, his sharp white teeth dripping saliva. Fleur thrashed about pathetically.

"Ma petite! Pas ma petite!"

Greyback licked his lips hungrily and reached for the baby with his yellow claws.

"Non!" Fleur sat straight up in bed, her chest heaving with her pounding heart. The back of her neck was prickly with perspiration and when she ran a hand over her brow, it too was damp. Bill stirred beside her and reached for her hand.

"Are you alright, love?" he asked worried, patting her hand gently. His concern deepened when she looked at him. Wide, frightened eyes framed by locks of silvery hair that were stuck to her sweaty forehead. Her lower lips trembled faintly and he could visibly see her shaking. Instinctively, Bill sat up and pulled his distressed wife into his arms, stroking her hair and kissing her cheeks. Fleur did not respond to his affections. She was still in shock.

"What happened, Fleur?" he asked of her. She was silent for a long time, but Bill knew not to ask again. She would tell him in her own time.

"We cannot have a bébé," she said softly as she stared out of the window. The signs of dawn crept over the white sand on the beach, illuminating a few stray seagulls mingling in the early hours of the morning. "Not now. Guillaume, we cannot have a bébé."

"Why not?" Bill was confused. They were married. The only natural course after marriage was to have children; to raise a family. Merlin knew he wanted nothing more than to raise a family with the beautiful woman beside him.

"C'est dangereux. I cannot bring a bébé into ze world while zare is zis war! I will not do it!" Fleur shook her silvery head; Bill noticed tears dripping off the end of her perfect nose. "Ma petite!" she wailed and drew up her legs to wrap her arms around them. "Pas ma petite!" she was brokenly sobbing into her hands and Bill wrapped his arms around his wife, trying to protect her from her inner demons.

"Shh, it's okay love. I'm here, I'm here," he said in his low, soothing voice, rocking her like he did his baby sister when she was having a nightmare. Fleur threw her arms helplessly around Bill and cried into his neck.

"Je t'aime," she muttered softly. "Ne me laisse jamais. Je t'aime encore…"

"I love you too, honey. I won't let anything hurt you. I promise."