A/N: Here it is. Fleur/Hermione goodness. Not much in the first chapter, but I'm trying to set the mood. I expect this just to be a couple of chapters. All constructive criticism is greatly appreciated. Rated T for now, possible rating change later.

Disclaimer: Of course I own none of this. It all belongs to JKR, the brilliant author of the Harry Potter series!

A Fleur by any Other Name...

It was a cool summer morning, and all was calm at The Burrow. The birds were still nesting with their heads tucked under their wings, the bugs had just barely begun to chirp.

POP! The all too-familiar noise of a wizard or witch apparating into the area disturbed the tranquil wildlife. Seventeen year-old Hermione Granger shook her bushy brown hair out of her eyes, surveyed her surroundings, and frowned. It was just past 6 in the morning, she determined after looking at her watch, and it was doubtful that anyone but Mrs. Weasley would be up.

With a sigh Hermione picked up her trunk and walked to the front door. Unsure if whether or not she should knock, Hermione stood there for a moment before raising her fist to bang on the door.

To her surprise, the door opened before her knuckles could rap against the heavy wood. And also, much to her surprise, it was not Mrs. Weasley who answered the door, but it was in fact Miss Fleur Delacour.

Hermione stiffened without realizing it. "Fleur?"

Fleur frowned. "Oui." She surveyed Hermione with slight distaste. Why did the English witch always tense up around her? "Well, would you like to come in, or are you just going to stand zere?"

"Oh! Yes, of course I want to come in." Hermione picked up her truck, walked through the door, and proceeded to trip over a dungbomb.

"Goddammit," she cursed under her breath. Just what I need, to make a fool of myself in front of Fleur.

" 'ermione! Are you all right?" Fleur asked, stooping down to help Hermione up.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine. Damn Fred and George." Hermione sighed.

Fleur grinned. "Yes, zose two are always up to trouble, non?"

Hermione nodded. "I hope there aren't any more surprises from them around here." She looked around warily, just to be sure.

"You look dead on your feet, 'ermione. Perhaps you should go back to bed?" Hermione shook her head. "Non? Would you like some breakfast zen?" Fleur questioned, magically levitating Hermione's trunk over into the living room.

Hermione smiled. "Yes. Thank you, Fleur. Do you need any help?"

Fleur vigorously shook her head. "Non, non, non. Sit down, 'ermione. You are ze guest."

Hermione flopped down in a nearby chair.

"So, how've things been around here? How are you and Bill?"

Fleur stiffened visibly.

Uh oh, Hermione thought, bad choice of subject.

"Umm, we are alright, I suppose…" Fleur trailed off as she scrambled eggs with her wand, three feet away from the stove.

Hermione raised her eyebrow. "You suppose?"

Fleur sighed. Why did Hermione have to pry? "It is nothing, 'ermione. Please, do not worry yourself about it."

Obviously Fleur didn't want to continue on the subject of her relationship with Bill, but Hermione just couldn't help prying. After all, as bothersome as the French witch could be sometimes, Hermione still cared.

"Come on Fleur, tell me what's the matter. You know I won't tell anyone. Hell, who would listen? Harry and Ron tend to tune me out as soon as I start talking. If I told them I was giving up magic and joining a convent they would just smile and nod my way."

Fleur could not help but notice the bitterness in Hermione's voice. "Boys will be boys, 'ermione, you know how zat goes. But what about Ginny? You and she used to 'ang all ze time. What ever 'appened to zat?"

Hermione frowned. "Ginny can be just as bad as Harry and Ron sometimes. Quidditch, quidditch, and more quidditch. That's all they bloody talk about!"

Fleur sat down a plate of eggs, bacon, and toast in front of Hermione, before sitting across the table. "Well, to be perfectly 'onest 'ermione, I don't exactly fit in 'ere either. Ever since Bill ran off to Egypt I 'ave been alone with a 'ouseful of people who do not like me."

Hermione tried not to inhale her food, as she hadn't eaten since lunchtime the day before. "Oh Fleur, you exaggerate. I'm sure they aren't all aggravated with you."

"Oh, but zey are. Trust me, I can tell. Ze way zey speak to me, I feel like an outcast." Fleur looked down at the table, sadly.

Hermione munched on toast. Fleur really wasn't so bad. It was a shame that the Weasleys weren't even trying to give her a chance. Hermione had thought that at least Mrs. Weasley would be civil towards Fleur, but even her behavior was borderline horrible.

"Well, if it's any consolation Fleur, I'll be here the whole summer before school starts, and I wouldn't mind sharing my time with you."

Fleur smiled at the witch. "Zank you, you are a very sweet girl." Fleur stood up and collected Hermione's empty plate. "Just so you know, it really is a shame zat Harry, Ron, and Ginny all ignore you in ze summer. Zey are definitely missing out."

Hermione blushed. "I'm going to go unpack up in Ginny's room. She should get up by now anyway."

Fleur nodded, before realizing that she had yet to inform Hermione of the Weasley's whereabouts. " 'ermione wait!" But Hermione had already disappeared up the stairs.

"Umm, Fleur? Where is everyone?" Hermione said, walking down the stairs with a confused look on her face. Upon finding Ginny's room empty she had checked the boy's room as well. Everyone was missing.

"Zat is what I was trying to tell you. Zey have gone for ze weekend."

"Huh? Why? Where did they go?" Hermione was considerably confused. Why invite her over and then not even be there to greet her?

Fleur winced. She was sure Hermione would not be thrilled with this news. No matter how much she claimed to despise Quidditch, she knew the English witch would be incredibly infuriated with the family for leaving her behind.

"Well, 'ermione...zey went off to ze Quidditch World Cup."

Hermione blinked. What? "What? Why? No. No they didn't. They wouldn't just go and leave me out of something like that."

Fleur nodded. "I am sorry, but zey did. Ze tickets came unexpectedly two days ago and ze Cup is today. Ron said zat you would not mind, but 'arry and Ginny insisted zat you probably would. In ze end, zey just decided to go."

Anger flashed through Hermione's eyes. "Ron said that? What a….a…a bastard! Why would he do that! I mean, I may not be fond of rambling on about the bloody sport but I still like to watch it!" Tears brimmed on the edge of her eyes. "What a bloody git. How could he say something like that? Why would he say something like that?"

Hermione rushed outside and considered apparating right back home. Of all the insufferable…What is wrong with Ronald?! She threw herself down on the porch swing and sighed.

Fleur came out and sat down next to her. "I am sorry zat ze family left you behind, 'ermione. If it makes you feel better, zey did not even ask me if I would like to go."

Hermione sighed. "Oh but I'm sure that Ron wanted you to come. I bet he even asked you didn't he?" Hermione was well aware of Ron's attraction to the blonde Veela, and was rather aggravated by it. "Bloody prat. God, the way he hovers over you and drools over you, how can you stand it?!"

Fleur grinned. "Why 'ermione, do I detect an 'int of jealousy in your voice?"

Hermione looked rather disgusted. "No you do not." she spat out. "I would never, ever in my life date Ron. He asked me out once you know," Fleur's face registered no surprise. "and I flat-out refused. I mean, he is one of my best mates, even if he is a giant prat most of the time. But that's all I see him as. A mate, you know? It would be bizarre to be his girlfriend, and-" Hermione shuddered at the thought.

" 'ermione. You are blathering. Like I said, it seems you do 'ave a little something for ze youngest Weasley boy." Fleur smiled, well aware that she was irritating the younger girl.

"Excuse me? I just said I didn't. What in the h-"

"Relax, 'ermione, relax. I was merely joking. Now, since ze Weasleys 'ave gone for ze weekend, what would you like to do to fill up ze time?"

"I have no idea, Fleur. I'm not really in the mood to think about it." Hermione crossed her arms.

"I 'ave an idea for today. Why don't we go 'ave a picnic? I found a lovely pond a ways beyond ze forest, and maybe we could eat zere?" Fleur sounded so hopeful that Hermione agreed.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Several hours later, Hermione found herself holding Fleur's hand, (Very warm, and soft, Hermione thought) and a picnic basket filled to the brim with food.

"You know, Fleur, we really didn't need this much-" Hermione was cut off as Fleur apparated them to the pond. "-food."

Fleur let go, much to Hermione's surprising disappointment, and transfigured a nearby rock into a blanket. "Don't be silly, 'ermione. Zere is no such thing as too much food, you can always save some for leftovers, non?"

Hermione smiled. She watched as Fleur pulled dish after dish out of the basket. "You charmed the picnic basket, didn't you?"

Fleur grinned a bit. "Maybe, maybe not. Bouillabaisse?"

Hermione took the dish and smiled as she remembered her first encounter with the French witch at Hogwarts.

"Excuse me, are you wanting ze bouillabaisse?"

Hermione looked up. The Beauxbatons girl who spoke to them was breathtaking. Long, silvery-blonde hair, deep blue eyes, and very white, even teeth.

Ron went purple. Hermione rolled her eyes as he attempted to reply, but only succeeded in making a faint gurgling sound.

"Yeah, have it," said Harry, pushing the dish towards the girl.

"You 'ave finished with it?"

"Yeah," Ron said breathlessly. "Yeah, it was excellent."

Hermione giggled.

"What is it, 'ermione?" Fleur raised an eyebrow at her chuckling companion.

"Oh, nothing. I was just remembering the first time I met you. In Hogwarts, remember?" Fleur gave her an odd look, as if she had never encountered Hermione in the castle. "No, no, think. When you asked for the bouillabaisse and Ron couldn't even speak properly to you?"

Fleur grinned widely. "Ah oui, I remember now. 'e got all purple-looking."

Hermione giggled more. "Fleur, this bouillabaisse is wonderful! But doesn't it take a while to prepare?"

"Oui, but I 'elped it along a bit with some magic. Normally I don't do such things with food, but well, I wanted us to 'ave it at the picnic." Fleur smiled at the brown-haired beauty. Perhaps today, while they were having this picnic, she would have the courage to tell Hermione her carefully guarded secret.

They sat munching quietly on Fleur's other delicacies until Hermione broke the silence. "Fleur? I know you didn't want to talk about this earlier, but I think you should. I can tell you're feeling animosity towards Bill, just by the way you talk to him. What's up?"

Fleur sighed, and set down her lunch. "Once again, it is nothing 'ermione. Don't fret over nothing."

Hermione gave her a disbelieving look.

"Fine! You wanted ze truth, you got it 'ermione Granger. I no longer 'ave feelings for Bill. And before you say anything, no, it is not because of ze werewolf attack. Bill actually feels ze same way. We are breaking the news to 'is family when 'e gets back."

Hermione stared. She knew something was up, but she never expected Bill and Fleur to actually break off their engagement! "But….but..I thought you were getting married this summer! What happened to that?"

Fleur laughed bitterly. "Well, zat has changed. Bill 'as, erm, different tastes in women now. Also, apparently, 'e cannot deal with my personality. 'e says we clash too much now."

"Oh, god, Fleur. That's horrible!" Hermione exclaimed as she sat her food down. "I'm so sorry! When does he come back?"

"At ze end of ze month. Personally, I cannot wait. Ze Weasleys are driving me up ze wall. I know zey are good people deep down, but we just aren't meant to be in ze same 'ouse for more zan a few 'ours together!"

Hermione nodded. She couldn't help but feel a certain pang of sadness at the news that Fleur was leaving. Yes, the woman was irritable at times, but Hermione was pleased at the fact that Fleur was actually willing to spend time with her, and not constantly talk strategies about Quidditch.

"Fleur, I…I don't want you to leave. I like spending time with you, even if it's only been for one day so far. You listen to me, unlike Ron, Ginny, and Harry." Hermione looked down at the ground.

"Oh 'ermione," Fleur breathed. Hermione looked up at her. "You 'ave some bouillabaisse on your cheek."

Fleur leaned in and sensed Hermione stiffen slightly. Nevertheless, she flicked her tongue out at the remnants of the fish stew on Hermione's cheek.

Hermione shivered. Fleur shifted and looked deep into Hermione's eyes. Then she slowly leaned forward and kissed her.