A/N: Here we are! The final chapter in the story. Thanks to all those who have faved and reviewed!
Chapter 19.
Knocking at the door awoke Fleur and Hermione. Hermione grinned at being tangled up with a naked Fleur and the bedsheet. Fleur groaned and swatted Hermione sleepily.
"No, 'Mione, you're the one that insisted on staying up late last night for another round," grumbled Fleur, "Let me sleep."
"That's not me," Hermione said, climbing off Fleur and untangling the sheet to pull it up over them. The door tentatively opened and Harry and Ron walked in.
"Guys… I hope you're not doing anything… But Lupin said we had to get you up," Harry said. He had his hands covering his eyes. Ron did too, but was quite obviously peeking through his parted fingers.
"Ron, I've pulled up the sheets so you're not going to see anything," Hermione said crossly. Ron let out a small sigh of disappointment as Harry and him lowered their hands.
"We've got to get up and eat breakfast so we're ready for the big plan today," Harry informed them, before adding, "God, I just hope Tonks knows what she's doing."
"I hope so too," Hermione replied, before shooting Ron a disgusted look. The sheet had slipped down slightly and Fleur's cleavage was almost visible.
"Stop trying to ogle my girlfriend, Ron!" Hermione snapped. Ron pouted and crossed his arms.
"You didn't even used to like her," he said defensively.
"Get out," Hermione said sharply. Harry looked apologetic as he and Ron left the room, shutting the door behind them.
"You know its hot when you get jealous," Fleur teased. Hermione shot her a look.
"I knew the second I called him out it would stroke your ego," Hermione groaned. Fleur laughed.
"Come on, Tonks needs our support," Fleur said, getting out of bed. Hermione's eyes raked down Fleur's body before her brain kicked in again and she got out of bed too.
"Think we gave her more than enough 'support' last night," Hermione said.
"Yeah, lets hope she was kidding about bringing that up in any future wedding speeches," Fleur laughed. Hermione laughed too before getting silent. Fleur was now dressed, elegantly as usual and was brushing her hair.
"Would you actually marry someone like me?" Hermione asked. Fleur paused mid-brush.
"I never thought I would want to get married again after Bill," Fleur said quietly. Hermione was silent. Fleur never spoke of her dead fiancé. Fleur put down her hairbrush and walked over to Hermione. Her eyes had never looked so blue.
"But if I were to get engaged again…" Fleur said slowly, looking deeply into Hermione's eyes, "It would definitely be to somebody like you."
"Oh," Was all Hermione could say. Fleur turned around and her hair brushed Hermione lightly. Fleur paused and looked over her shoulder.
"Even though you drive me crazy," Fleur added with a smirk.
"You drive me crazy too," Hermione replied with a smile.
Tonks was eating as ravenously as a Weasley at the breakfast table when Fleur and Hermione came down.
"Wow, anyone would think you two had been up all night banging," Tonks said, smirking as both Fleur and Hermione blushed at the memory of their second threesome with the metamorphmagus.
"Ha, their faces are red enough to confirm that," Moody said uncharacteristically, surprising them all.
"Um," choked Hermione, looking at Mad-Eye.
"What can I say? Bringing down Death Eaters brings out my impish side," Moody grinned.
"Moody has an impish side?" Ron mouthed to Harry.
"Now, have ya had enough to eat?" Moody prompted Tonks, "You need ta keep your energy up,"
"I'm fine, stop mothering me, its weird," Tonks said, waving a hand dismissively at Moody.
"Are you scared?" Ron asked Tonks. Harry elbowed him, hard.
"Don't ask that," Harry hissed.
"Its okay," Tonks said, swallowing the last of her food, "I was last night but I think I've got it out of my system."
"Really? But you could die today," Ron commented, before Harry elbowed him even harder.
Hermione and Fleur exchanged worried glances.
"In position?" the fake Galleon in Hermione's palm read. She tapped it with her wand to reply.
"Yes."
Despite the seriousness of the situation, Hermione couldn't help but feel quietly pleased that they were using her DA coins for The Order.
She was standing in some bushes next to Lupin who was nervously scratching at his neck.
"Tonks should be heading in any minute now," Lupin murmured under his breath to Hermione.
The Order were hidden all around the abandoned factory in the industrial area of town. The Order had carefully planted a rumour that "Blaise" would be heading to the factory to hide out from Order members. It was predicted that within moments of "Blaise" arriving, senior Death Eaters would descend on the area. That's when they would strike and finally catch the serious war criminals.
"There she goes," Hermione hissed, tapping Lupin. They peered out of the foliage as Tonks morphed as Blaise walked up to the factory, looking around carefully. Hermione held her breath as Tonks stepped slowly into the factory.
No sooner had the door shut behind Tonks than black clouds swept into the area and bangs of apparation rang out in the clearing.
"Action time," Lupin said, nudging Hermione, "Keep safe."
They withdrew their wands and descended onto the factory, following the strategy that they had planned. Hermione burst in through a side door, rapidly stunning Fenrir Greyback, Lucius Malfoy and Dolohov.
"Yessss," Hermione silently cheered, binding them and heading off through the next doorway. She heard bangs and screams from elsewhere in the factory but tried to focus on the task at hand. She furrowed her brow and raised her wand skulking deeper into the factory.
She almost snapped her wand in a clenched fist at what she walked in on. Fleur was screaming in the throes of a Cruciatus curse while Pansy was on top of her, groping her and kissing at her neck. Hermione disarmed Pansy and wrenched her off Fleur.
"You sick fuck," Hermione hissed, half-tempted to Crucio Pansy herself. But she gritted her teeth and stunned her instead. Fleur was panting and whimpering as the Cruciatus curse wore off. Hermione helped her to her feet hugging her tightly.
"She… She snuck up on me," Fleur panted, "I'm so glad you walked in when you did."
"I love you, Fleur," Hermione said fiercely, "Now lets take these Death Eaters down once and for all."
Fleur nodded, returning to the strategy and heading to the left while Hermione pressed forward.
Hermione had barely stepped into the next room when she fell to the floor in blinding pain. It felt like a thousand white hot knives were stabbing at every inch of her. In the distance, she heard a familiar cackle that made her blood run cold. Bellatrix Lestrange.
"We meet again, Mudblood," Bellatrix said in her husky voice, "Unfortunately this time only one of us will be leaving alive."
Hermione panted as the pain began to subside enough that she could see the woman with black tendrils of hair looking over her.
"You won't win," Hermione gasped.
"That one was only a warm up," Bellatrix said with a grin, "Crucio."
This time the pain was even more intense and Hermione felt herself begin to scream and darkness overtook her. Consciousness slipped out of her grasp.
Hermione's eyes flickered open. Her body ached all over. But then she remembered where she was and Bellatrix. She sat up abruptly with a wince.
Her eyes widened as she took in the sight in front of her. Bellatrix was furiously duelling a fierce looking Fleur. Fleur's white-blonde hair looked silver in the dim light and was whipping behind her as she darted to avoid spell beams.
"Fleur!" Hermione involuntarily yelped. Her call broke Fleur's concentration for a split second, but that was all it took for Bellatrix to hit her with a slashing spell that cut her arm open. Fleur hissed in pain and dodged a green killing curse, her blood spattering the ground as she moved.
Hermione stumbled to her feet as a green beam narrowly missed her. Bellatrix was in a fury of rage, slashing violent curses at both Fleur and Hermione now. Hermione grasped her wand and deflected the spells she could, dodging the others clumsily.
"Ferrum abyssi," Bellatrix hissed with venom, hitting Hermione. Hermione felt the air rush out of her lungs and she touched her stomach with shaking hands. She drew a hand away to see it was drenched in blood. Hermione fell to her knees.
Fleur let out a scream of rage and slashed her wand wildly. The whole building shook like there was an earthquake. The walls were cracking, beams were falling. A large concrete pillar fell, crushing Bellatrix. Fleur paled for a moment in shock, but immediately sprinted over to Hermione, grabbing at her wounds.
"Non, non, non…" Fleur murmured, casting quick healing spells in a fury. Hermione gasped, she was beginning to feel cold from the blood loss.
"Fleur…" Hermione murmured, relaxing in the blonde's arms.
"Hermione, stay with me," Fleur pleaded, trying more healing spells to no avail.
"Fleur," Hermione gasped. She could taste blood on her tongue, "Marry me?"
"I will. Of course I will, ma belle," Fleur said, tears welling in her eyes, "Just stay with me, s'il vous plait."
The room began to dim and Hermione focussed hard on Fleur's blue eyes as everything began to go black.
Hermione's eyes opened slowly, squinting as she adjusted to the bright light. She was groggy and felt like she was on some strong painkilling potions. She was in an all white room that was very bright, in an all-white smock and in a single bed with white linen.
"Hermione,"
Hermione turned her head slowly and saw the familiar figure of Tonks. Today her hair was lavender and shoulder length.
"Tonks… what happened?" Hermione asked, rubbing her forehead as she sat up.
"Bellatrix hit you with a Dark curse," Tonks explained, "Fucked you up pretty badly. We thought we were going to lose you for a while there."
"We… we survived?" Hermione asked in disbelief.
"We did more than that," Tonks replied with a smile, "We won. Harry killed Voldemort."
"How long have I been out?" Hermione asked, assessing her torso. She had angry red scars.
"Those will fade over time," Tonks said, reading Hermione's mind, "You've been out for three weeks. They had you on constant blood replenishing potions while they were trying to figure out how to close the wounds."
"Jesus," Hermione exclaimed. Tonks nodded with a small smile.
"You think you've had it bad? I've been having to live with Fleur's mood swings while you've been in here, lets just say her temper is not as pretty as the rest of her," Tonks joked.
"How is she?" Hermione asked. Tonks' eyes moved from Hermione to the doorway and her smile widened.
"Ask her yourself," Tonks replied.
"Hermione," Fleur said softly. She strode from the doorway to Hermione's bed in a second. She looked even more beautiful than Hermione had remembered.
"Fleur," Hermione greeted with a smile, pulling her in for a searing kiss. Tonks cheered and clapped her hands.
"Ah, this is the steamy Fleurmione action I've been missing," Tonks laughed.
"Shut up," Hermione laughed, although a blush was rising in her cheeks.
"Don't worry about her," Fleur said, sitting down beside Tonks and taking Hermione's hand, "She's been here so often she's even had the nurses falling for her."
"One nurse," Tonks corrected with a grin, "And we have our sixth date tonight. So thanks for almost dying Hermione, its done wonders for my love life."
Tonks triumphantly bit into a muesli bar, crossing her legs.
"You're welcome," Hermione laughed, before turning her attention back to Fleur, "I have something I have to ask."
"Anything," Fleur replied, squeezing her hand.
"Did you mean it?" Hermione asked, looking deep into those blue eyes.
"Did I mean what?" Fleur asked, but she bit her lip nervously as if she knew.
"That you'll marry me?" Hermione asked. Tonks dropped her muesli bar.
"Yes," Fleur replied, "A million times, yes."
"Please let me be the maid of honour, I already have some killer ideas for a speech," Tonks said, grinning impishly.
"Shut up," Fleur laughed, before leaning in and kissing Hermione fiercely.