Disclaimer – It has come to my attention recently that I unfortunately do not own Harry Potter. Who knew.

So I have decided that February 9th might possibly be the best national day to date! To everyone planning on celebrating National Pizza Day, I wish you an enjoyable holiday and imagine that anyone who is not celebrating with you is jealous. And to everyone else especially those who are more of breakfast people, today is also National Bagel and Lox Day!

Anyone who is looking to provide support and get access to early chapters for my stories or see my original content, please visit Pa T-rEoN / FavoriteAuthor

On that note, a big thanks to my newest patrons – Michael J., Luke M., Bobo B., The_Witch3r, Soren K., Zenny H., Vocey5, Paraskevas P., Chris G., Marko G., Dan G., Philicia P., Will T.,Maksym B., Mitch J., Tyler G., Divya D., Luke M., Barret O., Itsaboytrav, Chris G., Adam G., Daryn B., Dark Killer, Kiran S., Bache F., Ray G., Sri Chandraa K., Brian B., Jayden A., Jim W., R2DToa, John B., Philip J. Music, Shae S., Matthew W., Will D., Brian S., Abel, Leighton A., Speedy, Masterkey1887, Fraser M., Ups 442, Pealtiv, Huge L., Hadrian K., Witherdale, ImPiggy, Hubert, Apolloflare, Riccardo A.,Aaron, Hari T. Reece H., and Peter A! I do not know if I would be as motivated without the support.

To Hermione, Fleur's room in the Beauxbatons carriage was a haven of warmth and elegance, a reflection of her own unique charm. The room was bathed in the soft, golden glow of firelight emanating from a small but lively hearth set into one wall. The light danced and flickered, casting long shadows and giving the space an almost magical quality. Fleur's bed was the centerpiece of the room, draped in soft, light-blue blankets that looked impossibly cozy, their edges trimmed with delicate lace. The air smelled faintly of lavender, a soothing contrast to the cold winter evening outside.

Hermione lay sprawled on her stomach across Fleur's bed, her head propped on her arms as she gazed at Fleur. Fleur herself sat on the floor near the hearth, her back leaning against the pale, cream-colored wall. The firelight illuminated her features, enhancing the natural glow of her skin and the silvery sheen of her hair. She looked ethereal, yet grounded, a picture of effortless grace. Hermione felt a welcome sense of calm in the room. Here, in this warm, intimate setting, everything seemed simpler, quieter.

Hermione shifted slightly on the bed, the lace edge of the blanket brushing against her arm. "This is really nice," she murmured, her voice soft as if she didn't want to disturb the tranquility of the space.

Fleur glanced at her, a small smile gracing her lips. "I find it helps, non? To have a space that feels ... comfortable. Safe. It is important, especially when away from home."

Hermione nodded, her gaze drifting to the fire for a moment before returning to Fleur. "It does feel safe. Calm. I ... don't usually feel like this." She hesitated, then added, "Thank you for inviting me here."

"You are always welcome, Hermione," Fleur said warmly. Her accent gave Hermione's name a lilting quality that made it sound almost musical.

For a while, they sat in companionable silence, the only sounds the crackle of the fire and the occasional creak of the carriage as it settled into the night. Hermione's fingers absently traced patterns on the soft blanket beneath her.

"You are unusually quiet tonight," Fleur observed softly. Her gaze was gentle as she regarded Hermione, though there was an unmistakable glimmer of curiosity in her eyes.

Hermione smiled faintly, a little self-conscious. "I was just ... thinking," she said, her voice quiet as her cheeks flushed and a small smile appeared on her face. She shifted slightly, propping her chin on her hands. "About Harry. And our date."

Fleur raised an elegant eyebrow, her interest clearly piqued. "Ah, your date. Oui, I have been curious. Tell me everything."

Hermione laughed lightly, her nerves easing at Fleur's gentle encouragement. She hesitated for a moment, then began to speak, the words tumbling out as if they'd been waiting for an invitation. "We went to the lake. Just the two of us. It wasn't anything grand or over the top, but … I don't know, Fleur, it was perfect. The snow was falling, and it was so quiet, just the two of us. He's ... different when it's just the two of us. Calmer. More thoughtful." She paused, smiling to herself. "He makes me feel seen, if that makes sense. Like I'm not just ... the clever one who always has the answers. He really listens to me."

Fleur's expression softened, her lips curving into a small smile. "That is 'ow it should be," she said. "Someone who truly cares will always make you feel that way."

Hermione nodded, her blush deepening. "It's not just that, though. It's the little things. The way he looks at me when I'm talking, like nothing else matters. Or how he smiles at me—this genuine, almost shy smile that makes me feel …" She trailed off, her voice dropping to a whisper. "Special."

Fleur's smile grew, but she said nothing, letting Hermione continue at her own pace, as her eyes remained fixed on Hermione.

"I've never felt like this with anyone before," Hermione admitted after a moment. Her voice was quieter now, as if she were sharing a secret she hadn't even told herself until tonight. "I've never felt this comfortable with anyone before. Like I could just be myself without worrying about being too much or not enough."

She hesitated, and a shadow of doubt crossed her face. "Not even with the girls in my year," she hesitated, her fingers stilling on the blanket. Then she added, "In fact the only one other than him I feel anywhere near that comfortable with is you."

The room seemed to grow even quieter. Fleur's expression softened further, a warm smile gracing her lips. But as Hermione watched, that smile faltered, replaced by an expression of quiet sadness. She lowered her gaze, her hands resting lightly on her knees.

"Fleur?" Hermione asked, her brows knitting together in concern. She sat up, leaning forward slightly. "Did I say something wrong?"

Fleur shook her head quickly, her hair shimmering as it caught the light. "Non, Hermione, you said nothing wrong. It is just..." She paused, her gaze drifting to the fire. "It is a beautiful thing, what you have with Harry. To be seen and cherished like that. Not everyone finds such a connection."

Her voice was calm, but there was a hint of melancholy beneath her words that Hermione couldn't ignore.

"Fleur ..." Hermione sat up, crossing her legs beneath her as she leaned forward. "Are you okay? You seem ... sad."

Fleur turned her head, meeting Hermione's gaze. For a moment, she seemed to consider brushing off the concern, but then she sighed, her shoulders slumping slightly.

"It is nothing for you to worry about," she said softly. "Sometimes, when I hear others speak of love or connection, it reminds me of things I have never truly had."

"You are lucky, you know," Fleur continued, her voice low and melodic. She wasn't looking at Hermione, her gaze instead fixed on the fire. "To 'ave someone like 'Arry. Someone who truly sees you. Who cares for you."

Hermione blinked, caught off guard by the sincerity in Fleur's tone. "I know," she said softly.

Fleur's lips twitched into a faint smile, but there was a hint of wistfulness in her expression. She looked down, her fingers absently tracing patterns on the edge of the rug.

Hermione tilted her head, studying Fleur. "You're lucky, too," she said after a moment, her voice quiet but earnest. "I mean, you're … well, you're you.You're so beautiful, Fleur. You could have anyone you wanted."

Fleur turned her head sharply at that, her blue eyes meeting Hermione's with a teasing glint. "Anyone I want?" she repeated, a faint smirk tugging at her lips. "Are you saying that you find me attractive, 'Ermione?"

Hermione's cheeks turned a deep shade of pink, and she looked away, suddenly fascinated by the fire. "That's not what I meant!" she said quickly.

Fleur chuckled softly, a melodic sound that filled the room with warmth. "Relax," she said, her voice teasing but kind. "I am only joking. Besides…" She reached out, tucking a stray curl behind Hermione's ear with a gentleness that made Hermione's heart skip a beat. "For what it's worth, I think you're cute, too."

Hermione's blush deepened, and she buried her face in her knees, mumbling something incoherent. Fleur laughed again, a genuine, lighthearted sound that eased some of the tension.

"Mon dieu, you are adorable when you blush," Fleur said, still smiling. "But I am serious, 'Ermione. You should not doubt yourself. 'Arry is lucky to 'ave you, too."

Hermione peeked up at Fleur, her embarrassment giving way to a small, grateful smile. "Thank you," she said quietly. "That means a lot."

They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the firelight dancing across their faces. Fleur's expression grew thoughtful, her smile fading as she stared into the flames. Hermione noticed the shift and tilted her head, her curiosity piqued.

"Fleur?" she prompted gently. "What's on your mind?"

Fleur hesitated, her fingers fidgeting with the hem of her skirt. When she finally spoke, her voice was softer, tinged with vulnerability. "Do you know what it means to be Veela, when it comes to relationships?" she asked, her gaze still fixed on the fire.

Hermione furrowed her brow. "I know a little," she admitted. "Your allure … it's makes you irresistible, isn't it?"

Fleur let out a soft, humorless laugh. "Oui, that is what they say. And it is true, in a way. People are drawn to me. They cannot 'elp themselves." She paused, her expression growing distant. "But it is … shallow. They do not see me. They see the allure. The Veela. They see what they want to see, not who I am."

Hermione frowned, her heart aching at the sadness in Fleur's voice. "That must be lonely," she said softly. "Feeling like people don't really know you."

"It is," Fleur admitted. "When I was a little younger, I used to think it was a gift, having all the boys immediately like you and want to be with you. I thought it was a blessing. But the older I get, the more I realize it is ... a curse. It is easy to make people notice me, but almost impossible to have them see me for who I truly am." She looked down, her hands curling into fists in her lap. "I wish … I wish 'Arry looked at me the …"

Fleur's cheeks flushed faintly, and she quickly corrected herself, her voice hurried. "I mean, I wish I 'ad someone who would look at me that 'Arry looked at you. Someone who sees beyond the surface."

The soft glow of the firelight danced across the room, but Hermione's focus was solely on Fleur, whose wistful expression tugged at her heart. Something about the vulnerability Fleur had shown made Hermione's chest ache—not in pity, but in a deep understanding of the loneliness Fleur was describing. It wasn't something Hermione had ever associated with Fleur, the confident and dazzling Beauxbatons champion.

Without thinking too much about it, Hermione slipped off the bed and sat on the floor beside her. Fleur glanced at her, startled by the gesture. Hermione's knees bent under her, her hands resting lightly on the soft rug as she turned toward Fleur, her expression open and kind.

"What are you doing?" Fleur asked softly, her voice touched with a mix of curiosity and hesitation.

"I just …" Hermione hesitated, unsure how to explain her sudden impulse. "I thought maybe … you could use a hug?"

Fleur blinked, her lips parting slightly in surprise. "A 'ug?"

Hermione's cheeks flushed. "I mean, only if you're comfortable with it. You just … you looked like you needed one."

For a moment, Fleur didn't respond. She stared at Hermione, her blue eyes searching her face, as if trying to decipher whether Hermione was serious. Slowly, she nodded, her expression softening.

"I … would like that," Fleur admitted, her voice barely above a whisper.

Encouraged, Hermione leaned in and wrapped her arms around Fleur gently. Fleur tensed at first, her body rigid as though unused to the warmth of someone's touch. But as the seconds ticked by, she began to relax, her shoulders loosening, and she melted into the embrace.

"This feels nice," Fleur murmured, her voice soft.

Hermione smiled, her cheek resting against Fleur's shoulder. "It does," she agreed. After a pause, she added, "I don't … hug people often. Apart from my parents. And Harry."

Fleur pulled back slightly, just enough to look at Hermione with a raised eyebrow. "Pourquoi?"

Hermione flushed under Fleur's curious gaze. "I've just … never been good at letting people get that close to me. I suppose I've always been too focused on school and … well, everything else. I didn't think people would understand me. Or want to."

Fleur's expression softened further, her eyes shimmering in the firelight. "I understand," she said quietly. "It is 'ard to let people in when you are used to being on your own. But … I am glad you let me in tonight."

Hermione smiled, her heart swelling at the sincerity in Fleur's tone. "Me too," she said, her voice equally soft.

Fleur leaned back into Hermione then, returning the hug fully. Her arms wrapped around Hermione's shoulders, and she let out a contented sigh. "For what it is worth," Fleur whispered, her lips close to Hermione's ear, "I really enjoy 'ugging you as well."

Hermione's breath hitched at the intimacy of the comment. Her eyes widened slightly, and she felt a rush of warmth spread through her. She wasn't sure how to respond, so she simply held Fleur a little tighter, her gaze drifting past her to the window where moonlight filtered in softly.

For a while, neither of them spoke, the fire filling the silence with its gentle crackle. But eventually they both let go of the hug and relaxed back against the wall looking into the fireplace. However, after only a few moments, Hermione reached out, her hand resting lightly on Fleur's arm.

"If you ever want to talk about it," she said, her voice earnest, "I'm here. You've been so kind to me, Fleur. I want to be here for you, too."

Fleur looked at her, her blue eyes shimmering with something Hermione couldn't quite place. Gratitude, perhaps, or maybe something deeper. She placed her hand over Hermione's and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"Merci, Hermione," she said softly. "You have a kind heart. Do not ever lose that."

Hermione smiled, her hand lingering on Fleur's for a moment longer before she pulled it back. They sat together in silence after that, the firelight casting its golden glow over the room as the warmth of their shared moment lingered in the air.

After a while, Fleur broke the silence, her tone lighter now. "You know," she said, a playful glint returning to her eyes, "you never answered my question earlier."

Hermione blinked, tilting her head. "What question?"

"Do you find me attractive?" Fleur asked, her lips curving into a mischievous smile.

Hermione's face turned scarlet, and she groaned, covering her face with her hands. "Fleur!"

Fleur laughed, the sound warm and melodic, and she reached out to gently tug Hermione's hands away from her face. "I am only teasing," she said, her eyes twinkling. "But, I was right, you are adorable when you blush."

Hermione rolled her eyes, though she couldn't help the small smile that tugged at her lips. "You're impossible," she muttered.

"Perhaps," Fleur said with a shrug, still smiling. "But you love it."

Hermione didn't respond, but the smile that lingered on her face was answer enough. The two of them sat together until the fire burned low, sharing quiet conversation and laughter.

In that cozy, elegant space, with the flicker of the fire and the quiet understanding between them, it felt as though the world outside could wait.

- HP - SC - HP - SC - HP - SC - HP - SC - HP -

However, far away from the Beauxbatons carriage, the atmosphere inside one room in Hogwarts was anything but tranquil.

The Gryffindor boys' dormitory was dimly lit, the embers in the fireplace reduced to dull, glowing coals. The faint glow of the moonlight from the enchanted windows barely illuminated the room. It was eerily silent, save for the occasional creak of floorboards and the soft rustle of fabric as the intruder rifled through the belongings of the absent boys.

A figure moved in the shadows, a strange, halting gait betraying a peculiar stiffness. His mismatched eyes scanned the room meticulously, darting from trunks to beds, never resting for long. His movements were both frantic and methodical, as though he had done this before, many times.

"Secrets," he muttered under his breath, his voice low and gravelly, with a slight edge. "You think you can hide them from me? You think I wouldn't notice something's off?"

He grabbed a trunk at the foot of a bed—Harry Potter's trunk—and unlatched it roughly. The lid creaked open, and he began sifting through the contents with a growl. Books, robes, quills, and parchment were shoved aside in his search for … something.

"What are you hiding, Potter?" he muttered, his magical eye swiveling wildly, scanning each object. "What are you planning?"

He pulled out a piece of parchment, staring at it for a moment before snarling and tossing it aside. "Worthless!" he spat, his fingers digging deeper into the trunk. His normal eye twitched with irritation, and he began mumbling to himself again, his voice barely audible.

"You think I don't see it? The way you've been acting … constantly sneaking away from the school … meetings with the headmaster. There's something differentabout you, Potter. Something you're not telling anyone."

The intruder slammed the trunk shut with a loud bang,his magical eye swiveling toward the door as though looking for any signs of movement outside. Satisfied that no one had heard, he turned his attention to the bed itself, pulling at the mattress and checking beneath it.

He growled. "What are you hiding?"

He moved to the bedside table next, yanking open the small drawer and rummaging through its meager contents. A few Chocolate Frog cards and spare bits of parchment were tossed carelessly to the floor, and he sneered in frustration.

Whatever it is that you're hiding from me" he muttered darkly, "I'll find it."

He paused for a moment, his head tilting slightly as though listening to some distant, internal voice. His magical eye swiveled again, this time focusing on one of the other trunks—Neville Longbottom's.

With a huff, he moved toward it, his footsteps heavy and uneven. He crouched down, his stiff movements betraying an unnaturalness, and began rifling through Neville's belongings. He wasn't particularly gentle, and the trunk's contents spilled out onto the floor in a chaotic mess.

"Nothing," he muttered, his frustration mounting. "Nothing here. But you wouldn't trust anyone else with your secrets, would you, Potter?"

He stood abruptly, his magical eye scanning the room once more. The boys' beds were untouched since they'd left for the evening, the blankets slightly rumpled but otherwise pristine. His gaze lingered on Harry's bed again, and a strange, twisted smile spread across his lips.

With a sudden, jerky motion, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a flask. He unscrewed the lid with practiced ease and took a quick swig, grimacing slightly as he swallowed. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, his expression twisting into one of determination.

"This isn't over," he said quietly, almost to himself. "Not by a long shot."

He turned abruptly, his cloak swirling around him, and began making his way toward the door. His magical eye continued to scan the room, as though committing every detail to memory, while his normal eye glinted with a dangerous intensity.

"Whatever you're hiding, Potter," he muttered under his breath, his voice low and filled with malice, "you won't keep it from me. Not forever."

With one last glance around the room, he stepped into the shadows and disappeared, leaving behind only the scattered remains of his frantic search. The Gryffindor boys' dormitory fell silent once more, the eerie stillness settling over the room like a heavy shroud.

Kind Regards,

FavoriteAuthor

If you like this content do not hesitate to smash that like button and subscribe. Haha but seriously if you do enjoy the story - do favorite it, other than messaging me or leaving a comment it's the only way I know if you are enjoying the stories and chapters.

Story Note 1 – A small little chapter to build on Fleur and Hermione's relationship. I guess this chapter falls under the category of always leave them wanting more. Obviously to this point have been building on Harry and Hermione separately from Fleur and Hermione, although Fleur has let slip a couple times what she things of Harry. But don't worry Fleur and Harry will begin to have some moments coming up starting with an inciting event in the next handful of chapters.

Story Note 2 – As for this chapter itself some of what Fleur said here before has come up before but as she's feeling more comfortable with Hermione I think she's more willing to share more about how certain things make her feel rather than just the fact that something happens.

Story Note 3 – Well now that seems like quite the ending! I wonder what was going on! Certainly appears that Barty Crouch Jr aka Moody is growing a little suspicious of Harry … As for the actual experience, I felt that this would still be in character for Barty (even as he was pretending to be Moody). Obviously Barty would feel the need to inspect Harry's possessions if he felt anything was amiss and had the potential to ruin his plans. And could use the facade of Moody in order to do it as he could claim anything as a reason to go inspect Harry's possessions. Either believing that someone was trying to sabotage Harry or was worried there was some evil cursed item that he felt would have been given to Harry. If BCJ got away with ferret-ing Malfoy and bouncing him all over the place in from of Professor McGonagall I'm sure he could get away with this.

Story Note 4 – Definitely understand that the ending was a significantly different feeling that the first part of the chapter and that it might have been a little jarring. Please let me know how it came across as I wanted it to be like that for the increased tension. But don't want it to be too much.

Author Note 1 – All feedback is welcome (hopefully constructive!) Looking forward to what you think! Once again, thanks for all the reviews and feedback on this story, I'm excited that it has been well received. Obviously, I love people telling me they enjoy the chapters (keep it up if you do) but I really enjoy the constructive criticism as well. One of the earliest pieces of feedback I got was that Fred/George dialogue was rough – so as a result I changed it and really like the way it is coming across now (a sentiment that seems to be universally shared by everyone's' reviews as well). Also please continue to share ideas or requests as to things you wish to occur in the stories. I love the suggestions. And try to incorporate what I can.

Thanks to those of you out to those of you who enjoy my stories, I promise to keep updating the stories as long as you enjoy them, and a special thanks to those of you who have taken the time to leave feedback or reach out to me directly.

Twitter: FavoriteAuthor_
Instagram: FavoriteAuthor_Fanfic

DarkRavie, Hudy Leak613 - Thanks so much for the feedback and really hope you contine enjoying the story as it progresses!

cinnamonhawk - I found that one of the things I've really been enjoying is writing and building the characters and so happy that it is coming off in an enjoyable manner!

Monkey D. Conan - Haha seems to be something that is part of my style. While I certainly will have intense/stressful moments ... including one that is coming up. I found I don't enjoy writing extremely dark chapters for the sake of just being dark. And appearently some of my happy nature leaks through into my writing. (Shrugging emoji). I'm glad its coming off as understandable/believeable rather than out of left field. I guess we will find out how it goes!

littleemberlou - Haha while Ron is certainly less of a main character I do certainly like the idea of Ron and besides not wanting this to be a bashing story I wanted him to have iconic moments to show that he and Harry are still friends (or at least they are the way I would have written them). Without a doubt. I fully believe that Fleur faced as much isolation as Hermione for entirely different reasons but never pleasant.

herart - Definitely this story has its fair share of lighter moments. There is certainly alot of angsty dark stories out there and wanted to try something a little lighter. That being said there are some serious moments coming up.

Dault3883 Barron Backslash - Ya I don't know if that's how I read that. Certainly the champions would be excused from classes to prep but its not like you can just be like oh don't worry champions just because you are in the tournament forget about your exams ... what if the champions were in their NEWT or OWL years. Its not like you could just ignore those. And just because he is excused from being physically in class I have no doubt some professors especially those who are not entirely fond of them would still expect the homework to be done. That's fair, I may go back and reorder where it goes. It was something I'd been working on for a while and ended up not being sure where to put it. Good catch! Thanks for pointing that out!

Hands OFF MY Wolfie - Classic Harry! Glad the date was a fun ready!

Fenrir070 - As always, I'm glad to deliver. But jokes aside, I really appreciate the feedback! Thanks! Haha Ron is a character who makes me smile because I certainly think he has faults but I think his heart is in the right place. Haha I'd watch that show. Ya ... the Luna thing always seemed to not fit. But I guess even teachers can't catch everything and Luna seemed completely unbothered or unaware of them picking on her. She was a better person than most people. But I'm sure if she told Flitwick about it things would have been done.

hydrafromindia - That will be coming up!

Jostanos - Holy comments! It'll take a little while to reply to all them but love them all! 38-44 No need to apologize. But thanks for taking the time! I guess we will see what's in store for Mary ... but I'm guessing she'll have her moments! I really do wish that something had been said/done to the Dursleys for the sake of improving Harry's life. It didn't need to hurt them but someone obviously should have stepped in and said something. Haha :) Really glad the Snitch Seeker and First Task came off well! Was fun to write them. And I felt Rita was maybe not entirely canon but at least canon adjacent as I firmly believe she wasn't so much a bad person as opportunisitic and in it for the headlines and if someone could give her that headline she'd work with them. Not for the sake of doing something nice but rather to get the headline. Not to bad right! Well I'll always enjoy reading your fantastic reviews so we are equal!