AN: Remember how I said I was already on it with this chapter, weeeeell, I did it! haha I honestly can't believe I wrote 30 pages these past two days, which solidified my decision to split the chapter haha 62 pages for one update would have been entirely too much XD As an added bonus, I get to flex on trinitynix and tell her I already updated haha Hopefully that will get us another chapter from her much sooner, because I know she will not let this stand and if you're reading this boo, which I know you are . . . SUCK IT! XD Okay, okay, I'll stop starting shit and go a little into the chapter lol This was one I had planned out since the very beginning and have been so looking forward to writing. I guess that was why it was so easy, yet difficult at the same time, to write. It's an oh so important installment and was so fun and incredibly frustrating to write :) I had so many songs inspire me in this one yet again lol Unfortunately, not much inspired the beginning. I shuffled through so many songs, I couldn't begin to tell you which one is the best to listen to haha but around the middle I was listening to "Tightrope" from The Greatest Showman (I'm ashamed to say I still haven't watched the musical, but have been lucky enough to stumble on some of the music), then "Hello" covered by Conor Maynard (the rap part in that just hit diiiiifferent), followed by "Stuck with U" also covered by Conor Maynard (his voice is just effin amazing). Finally, I ended with "Begging to Bleed" by 8 Graves :) Okay, I've rambled on long enough and I really hope you guys like the update :D

UnknownReader3: ahahahah you know how much I love my angst. I liiiiive for it so therefore, you all must suffer too XD Your wish is my command and they are finally getting an effin chapter to themselves! Trust me, I've been dying to write one like this for a whiiiiiile

trinitynix: Girl, we both know Hermione Granger don't make no damn mistakes lmao well, maybe she does . . . damnit, I should have made that shit more nail biting XD Fucking Hermione and Fleur are sooooo a power couple waiting to happen and I'm honestly living for it. I like them being confident in their own right, because I mean . . . why the fuck shouldn't they be? lol when I was writing Cruel and had this fic in mind I was like fuuuuuck, I can't wait for the sequel so I can make Hermione more sure of herself. They'll be so much better matched in the continuation and now we're finally here! And I beat you . . . again. I believe you're 0 for 17 now. Humble pie . . . it's what's for breakfast XD expect an influx of messages and videos all saying 'SUCK IT' very very soon XD

siddharth1998m: I knooooow. I felt so bad for Angelique, but she was a necessary sacrifice :( You gotta crack a few eggs to make a Fleurmione omelette though, am I right? lol

Martazb: The angst is always soooo fun to write :3 I do want to give Angelique some type of happy ending, because I do feel bad that she got rejected :( I swear I'm trying to work something out for her that feels right, because I don't want to throw her with just anybody. Our girl deserves better! Thank you so much for the kind words and I'm so glad you're enjoying the fic! My creativity has been fueled by lots and lots of red bull so they deserve a shout out haha This fic has certainly been trying at times, but it's slowly coming together :)

LookingAtYouKid: Haha I actually played with the idea of the casino being in Switzerland, because it's neutral, but I figured one that was always moving was a better idea, especially with all the shady stuff that goes down there. What is this "leader of the pack" business? o.O If it's angsty, I need it NOW haha Pansy isn't a person I have completely considered for Angelique . . . it's an interesting idea. There are so many options for who I could set her up with and I really don't want it to be just anyone. Pansy could actually be a good option. Midas didn't pinch anything, because Hermione wisely left his ass in the hotel room hahaha can you imagine the chaos that would have ensued if she had brought him with? XD It would have been amazing and I would have loved it, but the chapter wouldn't have been as dark. It was a horrible choice to have to make, but unfortunately our favorite critter had to be put in timeout haha as for me waking up with Fleur and Hermione about to throttle me . . . I've had that nightmare many times . . . XD

lipeviez: Yesss, the last chapter was just oozing with angst and I loved every moment of it lol Fleur wasn't actually supposed to witness that little scene between Angelique and Hermione, but as I was writing it, I was like ooooh, this presents an interesting opportunity haha Fleur wasn't even supposed to go with outside either, but again, as I was writing it, I was like 'there's no way Fleur wouldn't go with or notice Hermione about to pass the fuck out' lol You should totally watch AHS! It's always so amazing, well until recently lol Coven was great, but pretty gory and morbid at times. They just do that shit to shock you though and then it trickles into normal story with decent twists. They have some great characters in their series and I always love them. Now, as for your request for fireworks and revelations . . . your wish might be granted :X haha thank you as always for the continued support. I hope this new chapter makes up for that cliff hanger :)

Pam C: You know why . . . hahah I love angst, therefore, you all must suffer too XD That talk you've been hoping for may or may not be coming veeeery soon. Trust me, I've so wanted to let them have their moment, but you know I had to drag this shit out lol It makes it so much better when it finally happens :) As for Angelique . . . she was a necessary sacrifice haha Hermione really does suck at communicating XD

SalviaDivinorum: I should honestly just rename this and Cruel Intentions to 'Horrible Misunderstandings That Mess Up Relationships' haha I'm so glad you enjoy the drama and angst too, because it's so fun to write lol I can't stand a fic where the characters are just in happy little rainbow land where everything goes right lol Like, NO! Give me drama! Give me gut wrenching pain! Feed my masochist soul XD In hindsight, Hermione really should have realized her drink was probably messed with when Baby said it was on the house when all the drinks were already free lmao I totally just stole Legba's appearance straight from AHS and did like zero research on Voodoo . . . something I probably should have done haha There won't be anymore new magic introduced or other Gods, because honestly . . I'm not THAT creative and lazy. That sounds like so much research I would die doing lol I'll probably play with the idea in other fics though, because I do enjoy seeing darker magic thrown into the Harry Potter world. Anyways, thank you so much for the incredibly kind and thoughtful review! I do so hope you enjoy the newest installment :)

WildNight: Oh, the plot has yet to fully thicken yet. It's finally heading towards where I want it to now though. It's definitely going to get crazy real effin soon. So many twists are going to be revealed so soon and I can't wait to see your guys' reactions to them, because it's been absolute torture keeping them to myself haha There will also be a lot more Fleurmione moments mixed in instead of the pure action with only sprinkles of Fleurmione thrown in. Romance is part of the genre in this, I've just had to focus on the action a lot more until recently :)

Nameless Reader: First of all, hi! And I'm glad to be back too (manners are important according to Phantasm lol) Hermione most certainly is fantastically doing all of the wrong things haha I almost feel bad for her, but then I start feeling bad for Fleur too. I really don't know who has it worse at this point. Probably Angelique XD But she is a necessary sacrifice for Fleurmione lol I promise I'm trying to figure out something nice for her, but it's proving difficult. I don't want her to end up with just anybody. She deserves better damnit! As for the AHS stuff . . . man, I really want to put Marie in, because she was so fantastic in Coven, but i don't know if I'll be able to find a place for her. I can say she's going to be in one of my other fics, but it's going to be so hard to squeeze her into this one D: That bet was absolutely horrid, but it for sure was the greater good and Hermione has soooooo much groveling to do. Something we haven't really seen her do yet, even in Cruel, so I'm so excited to finally show you guys what that looks like haha Anyways, thank you for the incredibly thoughtful review and I hope you enjoy the new chapter :D

Edge Maverick: ajaja sabes que voy a ponerme más y más dramático a medida que esto continúe. Solo vi brevemente a Constantine una vez, pero no eres el único en hacer esta referencia. Es posible que necesite verlo y prestarle atención ahora jajaja. Esa charla que todos han estado esperando llegará pronto. espero que te guste

andrewpine: Ah, all will be revealed in good time :) Sorry if the angst is getting old, but you know how I do lol

Snackpack: I'm so glad the last chapter got the desired effect haha I don't have any novels of my own, because I'm so bad at world building lol I am working on something though, but it's nothing even close to this or near the magic realm, because I am far too lazy to attempt something like that lol I'm more a fan of contemporary writing. I can only hope to try to make something a tenth as good as Chuck Palahniuk's books

zerodawn22: Thank you so much :D haha i totally understand needing to take breaks. You're going to need a lot of those for this chapter lol

pappa: Poor veela indeed :( Hermione is the veela slayer haha and Hermione is a badass. She really is bae in this fic. There are definitely going to be a lot of feels in this new chapter, but I can't guarantee you'll like all of them lol

ParaGlee: There's nothing like a good car crash haha I enjoyed writing that mess as much as you liked reading it XD I really wanted to make it hard to hate Angelique in this fic, even though the natural reaction is to dislike her lol She's a good person and I wanted to show that by her immediate acceptance of her rejection. She didn't even let Hermione apologize. Angelique is too good for this Fleurmione world lol I need to find her someone special. The bet was also very necessary, but oh so painful. It hurt so good and was so satisfying having her win and piss that guy off, but now she has some serious groveling to do lol

wkgreen: Hindsight really is 20/20 haha Hermione should have just effin left them at the hotel room, but she's also gotta keep her eye on her favorite veela lol It's been her undoing this entire fic though XD

Guest: There were multiple guests who reviewed, so I can't reply to all of you, but I really appreciate everyone who left their thoughts on the last chapter :) It's always great to see your guys' reactions :D

Chapter 17: Begging to Bleed

'And one thing that I love and hate the most
Is people always change but the memories don't
And lately I can't even eat
Lately I've been feeling ill
When you cannot sleep at night
That's when you know shit is real
You don't even need a gun
You don't even need a pill
If you ever wanna die
Fall in love and you'll get killed'

"Fleur?" Hermione called breathlessly through the wood of the curse breaker's room, winded after she had sprinted up the stairs of the hotel, taking them two at a time. To her displeasure, she was only met with silence even after banging on the door.

'Merlin, please don't throttle me for this.' Hermione inwardly cringed as she pulled out a spare key she had procured from the front desk when they checked in. She was sure the veela wouldn't appreciate her invading her privacy, but she would have to deal with the consequences later.

She carefully pushed the card into the slot and turned the handle. When she nervously peaked her head into the room it was unfortunately deserted.

"Damnit." Hermione groaned as she ran a hand through her dark locks, looking around to see the dress Fleur had been wearing earlier discarded on the bed. 'Well, she's at least been here so she can't have gone too far . . . unless she apparated. Let's hope not.'

Hermione made a move to leave the room, but something odd in her peripherals caught her attention.

She could feel a force inside herself tugging her in the direction of the destruction although she knew it would be better to leave things alone. In the end, she ignored that nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to just leave and cautiously made her way to the desk in the corner.

Scattered pieces of paper were strewn about on the dark wood while some had flittered onto the white carpet. It was clear someone, probably Fleur, had ripped whatever was on the parchment to shreds. It was none of the Gryffindor's business, but at the same time, her curiosity was peaked. She looked over her shoulder as if Fleur would barge in at any moment to berate her before she pulled out her wand and muttered, 'Repairo.'

The pieces of paper flew around, trying to find their proper place before they weaved themselves together to reveal something that filled the prodigy with confusion and an odd sense of longing she couldn't quite understand.

Her brow furrowed as she took in the image, unsure of where the heiress got this inspiration of why she decided to tear it up. It was a drawing, definitely done by Fleur, of a young girl with long brown wavy hair and crystal blue eyes sheepishly smiling with paint staining her hands. This didn't seem like Fleur's style of drawing or a subject she would usually do. Then again, it had been a while since she had seen any of her ex's art.

The girl looked oddly familiar, but was a total stranger to her at the same time. The feeling she got when she looked at the drawing was unsettling to say the least. She couldn't quite place what exact emotion it made her feel or why.

She wanted to discern and pick apart these feelings individually, but she knew she couldn't afford to do such a thing at a time like this so with one last glance at the art she flicked her wand.

She cringed as magic effortlessly tore the precious drawing to shreds, just as Fleur left it. It felt like a horribly wrong thing to do, but she could only imagine the veela's reaction if she knew Hermione not only went into her room, but reanimated a drawing, that was probably personal, without her permission.

She would have to push this information to the farthest recesses of her mind for now. There were far more pressing matters to attend to so with one last glance around the room and inhale of the scent that lingered in every corner that was undeniably Fleur, Hermione headed to her own room to change into something more comfortable. If she was going to chase the heiress down, she doubted she would be able to do it in heels.

Midas curiously watched her scramble around her room as she carelessly tossed off her dress and kicked off her shoes. She hastily shimmied into her shorts and put on her white halter top before throwing on her leather jacket. She made sure to stop and pat the little critter on the head before she scooped up her keys and ran down into the lobby. Time, something she had already wasted too much of, was of the essence and she was running out of it rapidly.

A million thoughts raced through her head as she jumped onto her bike and it roared to life. Fleur was probably okay. Maybe. She had no idea if the heiress was just stewing, which was the most likely option, or if something had happened to her while she ventured off on her own.

What if that man had come after Fleur? Even worse, what if Baby or the death eaters had pursued her? She shouldn't have let her out of her sight. Anything could have happened and all she wanted was to see that scowl to reassure her that Fleur was at least safe.

She darted through the streets, looking left and right as her long brown hair whipped in her face. She searched for any sign of the curse breaker, her heart pounding in her ears as the worst scenarios ran through her head. In any other instance, it might be a tad overdramatic, but when they had death eaters constantly attacking them, it wasn't too far-fetched to think something could have happened to her ex.

After searching for half an hour, she was starting to think it was hopeless and was ready to contact the ministry when she saw a familiar head of blonde locks furiously waving in the wind behind a tall lithe body dressed in tight blue jeans and a loose black shirt stomping down the streets, mumbling to herself in French.

"Fleur!" Hermione yelled out to get her attention even though she thought the revving of her engine would be enough.

Fleur's back went rigid and picked up her pace when that voice called out to her. She didn't need to look to see who the voice belonged to and she was in no mood to talk to Hermione Granger.

"Go away." Fleur snapped over her shoulder, refusing to look to the brunette who turned off her bike and hastily jumped off in pursuit of her ex.

"You can't just run off like this!" Hermione frowned as she jogged to try to catch up with the pace Fleur was setting. "Anything could have happened to you. There are death eaters everywhere. I was worried sick about you."

"So, you're worried about me now?" Fleur laughed mirthlessly to herself. "Eet didn't seem zat way an 'our ago."

"I was-"

"Just go away 'Ermione!" Fleur growled as Hermione's footsteps grew closer. She didn't want to talk to the golden girl right now. She was livid, hurt, and upset and the last thing she needed was her ex, the one who caused this whole mess, making things worse. She just wanted to be left alone so she could stew, but it would seem Hermione wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Fleur, please." The Gryffindor persisted with a pleading tone as she finally caught up and grabbed the curse breaker's hand to try to stop her. "Just talk to me."

"Oh, now you want to talk!" Fleur sneered as she ripped her hand out of Hermione's grasp. She had to stop herself from laughing at the absurd situation she found herself in. She had practically begged Hermione to talk to her the night before and was shut down so quickly, but now that the librarian wanted to talk, she was supposed to just drop everything and give in like she always did.

She was sick of it. Yes, she had made horrible mistakes in the past and maybe this was a taste of her own medicine, but she didn't bet Hermione like this. She didn't try to trade her off to some disgusting twisted old wizard for her own gain in a game of luck. What if she had lost? Would she have just let the henchman have his way with her?

Hermione flinched at the harsh tone. Fleur was pissed and rightfully so. If she knew anything about her ex, it was that when she was this angry, it was not easy talking her down. Her work was clearly cut out for her here.

"It's not what you thought it was." Hermione feebly tried to defend herself, her voice sounding flimsy and weak even to her.

"Which part!?" Fleur whirled around, her eyes briefly glowing a blinding neon blue as she zeroed in on the prodigy who was shrinking in on herself already. Hermione clearly wasn't used to those glowing eyes looking at her in that murderous way. "Ze part where I saw you and Angelique togezer after you told me you weren't or ze part where you bet me like some common whore!?"

"B-both." Hermione stammered. "That wasn't what it looked like and I would never do that to you."

"But you did!" Fleur threw up her hands. "You treated me as eef I was an object. Somezing I never expected from you."

"It isn't anything you haven't already done to me."

Hermione regretted the words the second they left her mouth, especially when pain briefly flashed in those arctic eyes before they narrowed. She hadn't meant to say that. It just spilled from her mouth like word vomit. She could hardly help her knee jerk reaction though when Fleur was acting so aggressively. It made her inwardly panic and lose her usually sharp wits.

Fleur's open mouth snapped shut at the statement, a thoughtful and angry look taking over her countenance while Hermione watched her reaction with trepidation. She just stood there quietly for a moment, making the prodigy feel more and more uneasy the longer she didn't say anything.

"So is zat eet zen?" Fleur raised an eyebrow. "Are we even now? Did eet make you feel better?"

"N-no." Hermione vehemently shook her head. "That came out all wrong. I'm sorry. I didn't mean-"

"I zink I 'ave 'eard enough." Fleur grumbled, cutting off the Gryffindor as she turned on her heel. She didn't have to sit here and listen to this. Hermione got her revenge. She didn't have to let her rub salt in the festering wound.

Hermione reached for the heiress' hand again, but in a surprising display of speed Fleur whirled around with an open fist.

A sharp sting accompanied the movement, leaving the brunette to stand there in stunned silence. Fleur hadn't slapped her with her full strength, not even close, but it was enough to get the message across.

"You're a pig." Fleur spat out in her native tongue, her eyes flashing neon again with tears pricking at the corners. She turned back around right after, before Hermione got the satisfaction of seeing her cry. That was something she would not give the librarian the pleasure of witnessing.

"I guess I deserved that." Hermione mumbled to herself with a slight cringe as she rubbed her recently abused cheek, but she wasn't ready to give up her pursuit yet. She was sure she deserved a far harder slap or many more from the heiress and she would take it all if only Fleur would listen.

She hated the idea of Fleur thinking she would truly do something like that to her. She knew how everything had seemed and her ex truly believing she was that type of person ate away at her. It chewed at her insides, twisting her stomach into her knots in a way that made her feel nauseous.

She shook her head to pull herself from the dark thoughts and promptly ran after the retreating blonde. "Fleur-"

"Go. Away!" Fleur yelled over her shoulder as she prepared herself to take off in a run to escape the persistent witch. It was all too painful to deal with right now, especially after that dream. Hermione wasn't the woman she thought she was. She had foolishly let herself believe James' words and had entertained the thought of getting back with her ex only to have those hopes cruelly smashed in front of her the very next day.

"I was cheating!" Hermione finally blurted out.

The admission made Fleur stutter and pause in her steps, her brow furrowing as this new information washed over her. 'Hermione Granger . . . cheating?' It didn't seem like something Hermione would do, but then again, the brunette had been doing a lot of things that she had never thought she would be capable of. It peaked her interest to say the least.

"What?"

"I-I cheated." Hermione blushed, a little embarrassed to release this information, but it was important. She never liked the thought of cheating, even if it was for a good cause, but revealing this had caused Fleur to stop and for that she would happily swallow her pride.

"'Ow?" Fleur asked as she finally turned around with her arms crossed.

Hermione gulped under that intense look, shifting her golden gaze to the side while she nervously wrung her hands. "I was counting cards. It's a muggle thing that cheaters do in a casino. You can find out what the dealer is going to deal next so you know what your hand and the other person's hand will be. I was never going to lose." She looked back to Fleur, trying to show sincerity in her words to let the veela know she was never really in any sort of danger. "I didn't tell you guys, because I was worried you might accidentally give me away."

"Zat doesn't change ze fact zat you still bet me as eef I was somezing you owned!" Fleur shouted, gaining the attention of a few people passing by. Hermione knowing she was going to win didn't take away from the fact she still traded her off.

"You're right." Hermione nodded her head, swallowing the lump in her throat uneasily. "You're one hundred percent right and I would have never done it if there was any other way. I promise. I would never do that to you."

"But you did." Fleur finally lowered her voice, sounding more fragile now. The tone caused Hermione's heart plummet into her stomach and made her want to drop to her knees to beg for forgiveness.

"I did." Hermione nodded her head as she looked down to the ground in shame. "I'm sorry Fleur. Not just for that, but for what I just said too." She lifted her gaze, guilt shimmering in her amber eyes that reflected onto her face. "I shouldn't have brought up that bet from Hogwarts and tried to shift the blame. This wasn't some scheme to get back at you and I don't harbor any ill feelings towards you for it. I was so wrong to make that bet and you have every right to be upset with me."

"I do and I am." Fleur growled as she turned on her heel. She was angry for a whole different reason now. She was letting Hermione get to her and she wasn't ready to let go of her justified displeasure. She didn't want to cave in so easily. "So, go away."

"Please." Hermione grabbed the heiress' hand once more, but this time Fleur didn't pull it away as she eyed Hermione over her shoulder. "Don't walk away."

"Why shouldn't I?" Fleur grumbled as she averted her gaze away from those pleading eyes that made her want to melt and would surely be her undoing.

"I can't give you a good reason for you to not to . . ." Hermione sighed as she looked down and ran her thumb over the soft skin on Fleur's hand. "It's clear you need a night off."

"Zat ees an understatement."

"Well, how about this." Hermione grinned as an idea popped into her head. "Go on a ride with me. We'll both take the night off."

Fleur scoffed as she redirected her stare to the motorcycle. "You just bet me in a poker game-"

"Texas hold 'em." Hermione corrected, but flinched when she received another scathing glare. "Sorry."

"And now you expect me to get on zat deaz contraption wiz you?" Fleur continued on as if Hermione hadn't just interrupted her. "I zink not."

"Please." Hermione persisted and when Fleur didn't look like she was going to budge she finally dropped to her knees as a last resort. "I'm literally begging you."

Fleur had to stop herself from smiling at the brazen display, but fought to keep her face neutral. Hermione was a proud woman and she imagined no one else had gotten to see her literally beg on the street for forgiveness. It still shouldn't be enough to convince her to go on this ride though. Surely, this wasn't all it took for Hermione to get her to budge. Right?

"It's completely safe and you'll have fun." Hermione pressed onward when she saw a crack in Fleur's icy exterior even though the blonde seemed wary. "I promise." Hermione put on her best convincing smile that made the curse breaker's knees go weak and made her resolve just about break in two.

"'Ermione . . ." Fleur choked on the words while those honey eyes watched her hopefully. "You were poisoned just a couple of 'ours ago and now you expect me to believe zat you are okay to drive me on zat zing."

"I wouldn't offer if I wasn't one hundred percent sure. I'm fine." Hermione ran her thumb over the back of Fleur's hand gingerly. "I would never do anything to put you in harms way."

"I don't-"

"Okay, the last couple hours contradict my last statement, but -" Hermione bowed her head, her golden eyes peaking up behind her long brown locks. "I promise to make it up to you. Just trust me one more time and if you don't have fun then you can call me a filthy liar and never talk to me again."

Fleur rolled her eyes at the statement, but couldn't stop herself from being drawn in and enticed by the proposal. "Zere ees only enough room for one zough." She pointed to the seat, trying in a last-ditch effort to make one last excuse.

"Oh, that can easily be fixed." Hermione grinned broadly as she jumped to her feet and let go of her ex's hand. She ran to her bike and tapped a hidden button below the seat that extended it. "Voila!"

Fleur let out a sigh when she saw how easily her excuse had been dismissed. She crossed her arms, looking to the road ahead of her then to the bike and a hopeful looking Gryffindor. She could go her own way or she could jump on that contraption Hermione called a bike and see where the night took her.

She was definitely in dangerous territory, but she couldn't deny that Hermione made her weak. Deep down, she knew she had lost this battle long before it ever begun. When it came to Hermione Granger, she would do anything for that smile, no matter how angry she was.

"Fine." Fleur huffed as she moved towards the bike, pausing when she reached the librarian, and pointing a warning finger in her face. "But zis doesn't mean we are okay. I still can't get ze imagine of zat filthy man's dirty looks out of my 'ead."

"Don't you worry." Hermione grumbled darkly as she jumped on her motorcycle. Memories of that wretched wizard were still fresh in her mind as well. She was sure he thought he could get away with this whole ordeal, but she would make sure he would pay. Of that much, she was certain. "He's going to get what is coming to him."

"What?" Fleur asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Nothing." Hermione quickly replaced her scowl with a smile and patted the seat behind her. "Hop on."

Fleur watched the Gryffindor prudently for a moment, not quite sure what she was up to, but that bright smile was enough to ease her worries so she carefully walked up to the bike, eyeing it like it was going to attack her at any moment.

Hermione just observed her with glee swimming in her amber eyes and almost laughed as Fleur awkwardly threw her leg over the back. She tried to situate herself while Hermione turned the bike back on, the loud sound almost making the heiress jump.

"You ready?" Hermione asked over her shoulder while Fleur sat there rigidly and nodded her head.

"Oui."

"Alright." Hermione revved her bike as that familiar adrenaline started to course through her veins. "Hold on tight." She spoke over the rumble of the engine while Fleur was left to carefully wrap her arms around her ex's waist, pushing her body flush against the librarian's back. She wasn't sure how she felt about the position, it seemed quite intimate, but she didn't have too much time to think about it.

A second later, the motorcycle jolted to life a lot quicker than Fleur was prepared for. The unexpected speed made her stomach plummet and evoked the sensation of pins and needles pricking her skin. She tightened her grip on Hermione in response to the sudden action, afraid she would go flying right off the back as she closed her eyes tightly while her body tried to grow accustomed to the movement.

It was a bit terrifying if she was being honest, especially since she hated not being in control of every situation she was in. The way the wind whipped in her ears every time they passed cars, which were quite close by the sound of it, made her tense even more every single time. The only thing keeping her together at this point was the warm body she clung to and the smell of lavender invading her nostrils. Hermione wouldn't let them crash. Right?

"You doing okay?" Hermione called over her shoulder with a hint of amusement in her voice when they stopped at a light. Fleur had been completely rigid the entire time. She could feel her grip slightly tighten every time they went by a car or made a sharp turn, something she didn't fully expect from the heiress considering her occupation. She also knew Fleur was a bit of a control freak though, so relinquishing that control she clung so tightly to couldn't be easy for her.

"Oui." Fleur nodded her head against Hermione's shoulder blade while she tried to calm her frazzled nerves. "Why do you ask?"

"You just seem a bit tense." The Gryffindor laughed lightly, evoking a scowl from the woman behind her. "You should try to relax and go with the movements of the bike instead of constantly fighting it."

"I am not fighting eet!"

"Right." Hermione shook her head with a roll of her eyes. "Well, it also might be more fun if you actually looked around while we drive." Hermione grinned cheekily. She could just barely make out the fact that Fleur had her eyes tightly closed, showing how uncomfortable she was with everything. Hermione had been the same way her first time, but she knew Fleur would start enjoying the ride a lot more once she relaxed and took in the scenery.

"I didn't 'ave my eyes closed." Fleur replied haughtily as she sat up straight and finally opened her bright sapphires. "I was just . . ." She fumbled for an excuse as to why she was so clearly stiff. "Adjusting."

"Oh. Of course." Hermione nodded her head sarcastically while Fleur took in their surroundings. They were at an intersection, but she could see the road they were on was heading towards cliffs.

"Where are we going?"

Hermione raised an eyebrow, looking back to the blonde. "Does it matter?"

Fleur opened her mouth to reply, but the light turned green a moment later and Hermione revved the engine.

"Hold on and try to relax." Hermione reminded the veela before they took off again.

Fleur couldn't help but tense when she felt that familiar drop in her stomach, but she did her best to listen to Hermione's instructions. Even though she would never admit to taking the war hero's advice, it did actually help when she started to go with Hermione's movements instead of against them. The left and right turns on the winding road started to feel a lot more fluid and her body felt like it was melting into her ex.

A small smile started to pull at her lips as the smell of the ocean hit her nostrils and she looked out to the seemingly never-ending body of water. She was surprised she was actually really starting to enjoy this little excursion. She had seen these type of sights before, but it was so different speeding by on the back of the bike. It was an added bonus that she got to cling to Hermione's curves while the brunette drove them around.

Just when she had started to finally relax and fully embrace the little trip, they started to reach the end of the cliffs. She was worried their ride would be ending so soon and expected Hermione to pull over or stop, but instead, she started to pick up speed.

"'Ermione?" Fleur called out over the sound of the whipping wind and the roar of the motor, but it would seem the war hero didn't hear her. "'Ermione!" She yelled out louder as they went over a small bump to get off the road and neared the edge of the perilous cliffs while the driver flipped a switch. "'Ermione!"

Fleur closed her eyes tightly, gripping the prodigy fiercely while she let out a high-pitched scream as they flew off the edge of the cliff. Her stomach dropped of its own accord as they started to descend, the sound of the crashing waves growing closer by the second. She was just waiting for the inevitable accident now, but it never came. Instead, she felt them going up again.

When she didn't feel her body being dismembered or broken, she hesitantly opened her eyes to see the ground beneath them growing further and further away. They were now flying towards the sparkling night sky over the ocean, her heart still pounding painfully in her chest as she picked up on laughter in front of her.

"Zat wasn't funny!" Fleur yelled as she hit the back of Hermione's shoulder. She had just thought they were about to fall to their death and here the usually careful genius was, laughing at her.

"It was a little funny." Hermione grinned over her shoulder. She knew Fleur would be surprised by the sudden change of events, but she hadn't been quite prepared for the hilarious high-pitched scream. "You don't really think I would drive us off a cliff, do you?"

"Well, you kind of did." Fleur grumbled.

"It doesn't count if the motorcycle flies." Hermione shot back with a smug smirk. "The sky is so much better than the road anyway."

"You could 'ave at least warned me." Fleur pouted while she felt Hermione's torso shake with laughter again. "You're 'orrible."

"Awe, come on." Hermione frowned insincerely, a mischievous glimmer shining in her golden eyes. "Here, I'll warn you this time. We're about to drop."

"We're about to wha- 'ERMIONE!" Fleur cried out, screaming again as Hermione dove down towards the water. "Stop zat!" Fleur yelled as she hit Hermione's back over and over again with her open hand while the prodigy burst into a new fit of giggles and righted the bike.

"If I didn't drop, we couldn't be close to the water." Hermione defended herself and tilted the motorcycle to prove her point.

Fleur narrowed her eyes, glaring at the witch in front of her warily before looking down to the clear glistening water beneath them. She wanted to continue to pummel Hermione for her cruel tricks, but found herself drawn to the cool liquid below with the full moon reflecting on it. It was so close that she couldn't resist leaning down further to skim her fingertips over the surface.

It tickled her fingertips as they rapidly passed over the ocean, her digits dipping into the liquid until Hermione moved the bike upright again and took off into the sky.

Fleur was briefly upset about being taken away from the ocean until she took in the sight around her. Even on a broom, she had never gone this high up. She was in awe of the sparkling lights of the stars encircling them, so close she felt like she could reach out and grab one.

Her arctic eyes greedily drank up everything around her while Hermione lead them further up until they hit some clouds. She reached her hand out once more, the cool mist slipping through her fingers while Hermione seemed at ease. It was quite shocking, considering how she hated flying back at Hogwarts.

'She really ees quite ze anomaly.' Fleur thought to herself with a furrowed brow as she shifted her eyes back to the brunette in front of her. Just when she thought she had Hermione figured out, she went and did something like this. This didn't seem like something the girl she used to know would do. Back at Hogwarts, she had thought the Gryffindor was confusing, but that was nothing compared to now.

"Almost there." Hermione called over her shoulder, pulling the heiress from her reverie.

Fleur raised an eyebrow in response, unaware that they were heading to a specific destination. "Almost where?"

"You'll see." Hermione smiled to herself as she started to slowly descend.

A small island started to come into view in the distance with white sand and palm trees scattered around it. Much to Fleur's surprise, the clear waters surrounding the land seemed to start to glow an iridescent blue as the waves crashed down. Where had Hermione taken her?

Hermione made sure to be careful when they landed on the sand so the transition would be smooth. Landing the bike had been particularly tricky when she had first started learning, but she did it with ease now.

When they finally stopped, Hermione turned off the bike, motioning for Fleur to get off, which she did, while she pushed the kickstand down with her foot.

"Well?" Hermione beamed as she got off the bike, looking expectantly at the heiress.

Fleur did her best to appear unimpressed as she turned her gaze from the mysterious waves to the brunette. "Well, what?"

An uncharacteristic pout took over Hermione's face as she crossed her arms. "How did you like the ride?"

"Eet was okay." Fleur shrugged. She tried to hide her smile when Hermione visibly looked upset by her response, she was obviously hoping for a different one, but the task was impossible when the Gryffindor looked so cute when she was distraught. "Eet was fun 'Ermione. Alzough, I could 'ave done wizout some of zose surprises."

"It wouldn't have been as fun if you knew." Hermione retorted while the veela rolled her eyes.

"I 'ighly doubt zat." Fleur grumbled as she crossed her arms. "Also, what eef a muggle saw us?"

"Ah." Hermione smirked as she walked to the bike and turned off the switch that made her vehicle invisible to muggles. She waved her hands theatrically around the bike, like a common magician would in a show for added effect. "Magic."

"Very funny." Fleur scoffed as the librarian made her way back to her. "Where 'ave you taken me anyway?"

Hermione rocked back and forth on her heels as she looked out to the glowing waves with a distant look in her eyes. "I found this island a while ago when I was on one of my longer rides."

"Eet's nice." Fleur admitted silently as she followed Hermione's line of sight.

"Yeah." Hermione nodded her head in agreement, flicking her golden gaze to the woman next to her briefly. "I thought you might like it."

"You always did 'ave a knack for finding places such as zis." Fleur sighed as she sat down on the soft sand and propped her knees up so she could rest her forearms on them. "I 'ave never seen waves glow like zis before."

"It's because of the algae." Hermione wore that grin she always did when she was relaying information as she sat down next to the blonde, but made sure to keep a couple feet between them. "The tide is red during the day."

"Eet's a shame Angelique can't be 'ere to see eet."

"Oh, she hates flying." Hermione laughed, waving her hand to dismiss the notion until she realized what she had just said and what trap she had fallen into. Her face grew deathly pale as she cautiously looked over to the French witch watching her with a scrutinizing gleam in her cerulean orbs.

Fleur raised an eyebrow as the librarian started to inwardly panic. Hermione never fully addressed what happened with her and Angelique in the alley. She knew what she saw and the rage from before their ride still simmered beneath the surface. "So am I just ze consolation prize? You took me 'ere because your girlfriend is too scared of flying?"

"N-no." Hermione shook her head as her heart raced in her chest. This wasn't going how she planned for it to, not that she really had a plan to begin with. She really would have to stop being so impulsive, because it seldom worked out for her. "Of course not."

Fleur narrowed her eyes as Hermione subtly moved away from her, rightfully afraid of her anger. "Where ees your girlfriend anyways? I doubt she would be 'appy eef she knew you were 'ere."

"She's not my girlfriend." Hermione groaned as she refrained from banging her head into the sand. She didn't know how many times she had to tell Fleur this, but she supposed she could hardly blame her after what occurred earlier. "There is nothing going on between us."

"Eet did not appear zat way." Fleur mumbled bitterly as she wrapped her arms around herself and glowered at the ocean. The memory of the two of them was still painfully fresh in her mind. She was constantly told they weren't together, but that display in the alley told a different story.

"Listen, Fleur . . ." Hermione let out a deep breath to steady herself. She didn't know how to make the veela believe her if she didn't accept the truth at face value. She just hoped Fleur would listen and accept her explanation at this point. "I know what you think you saw tonight . . ."

"What I zink a saw?" Fleur scoffed incredulously as she sent an icy glare over to her ex. "I know what I saw 'Ermione."

"You don't know." Hermione shot back, but flinched when that gaze zeroed in on her and hardened. "Sorry, I didn't mean to snap, but . . ." Hermione mumbled as she ducked her head. "Nothing really has happened between us. She may harbor some feelings for me, but she knows I don't feel the same way, at least she does now . . ." The brunette looked down, guilt filling her gut as she recalled the broken look on her friend's face. "You have nothing to worry about."

That last statement caught the heiress off guard, her sapphires softening as the cogs in her head started turning. She had nothing to worry about. So, Hermione cared if she did have concerns about her relationship with Angelique. She really did somehow factor into the equation Hermione's love life. Maybe James hadn't been completely wrong after all. "I 'ave nozing to worry about? What does ze status of your relationship 'ave to do wiz me?"

A bright blush lit up Hermione's cheeks, her eyes widening when what she said caught up to her. She inwardly berated herself for her poor choice of words as her heart hammered in her chest, that intense gaze only making the feeling worse. 'Bloody Hell . . .'

"I-I mean . . . " Hermione frantically tried to find a way to recover from her mistake while Fleur carefully trained her face into a neutral position instead of the amused one that wanted to take over. "I know you guys don't like each other a-and I'm sure it would be awkward if her and I ever dated."

Fleur made Hermione sweat a little more while she silently watched her. She decided to accept the answer and give the genius a break as she hummed her agreement, leaning back on her hands onto the sand as she mulled over this information. ''Ow unfortunate for Angelique.'

This night was turning out to be far more interesting than she thought it would be. She had thought her dreams had been dashed, but from Hermione's reaction to her question, Fleur still held her attention. Not Angelique.

She wanted to press the issue, because it felt like she may inadvertently have gotten somewhere. It was obvious by the way Hermione tried to horribly cover for her slip up, but it was too late. She had heard the words from Hermione's mouth, sparking the tiniest flame of hope in her chest. "Oui . . ." Fleur smiled lightly to herself as this new feeling washed over her. "It would be . . . awkward and we wouldn't want zat."

"Yeah." Hermione nodded her head, avoiding that knowing gaze watching her every move. She hated how Fleur could easily trap her into revealing things and how she could look right through her. It was unnerving to say the least.

"Tell me . . ." Fleur drawled as she tilted her head and looked up to the stars. She played with the idea of going forward, but decided she would give the poor frazzled Gryffindor a little reprieve. If Hermione was going to admit something to her, she didn't want it to be by accident anymore. Her admissions were almost meaningless if she didn't willingly or purposefully do it. "When did you get over your own fear of flying? I zought you 'ated eet."

Hermione almost let out a sigh of relief at the change of subject, something that surely wouldn't lead her into more perilous waters. "After Hogwarts, I spent some time with Hagrid. He showed me his motorcycle and convinced me to take a ride with him. " A smile started to tug at her lips as she recalled her first ride with the half giant. "At first, I had your same reaction, but then I started to really enjoy it and just had to get my own."

Fleur raised a perfectly plucked eyebrow, a smirk forming at the corner of her mouth. "And you could not come to zis realization on a broom?"

A huff erupted from the brunette's chest as she blew up a strand of her hair that got in her face. "Brooms are too flimsy and temperamental." She still hated riding on those damned things to this day, especially after that particularly nasty run in with the bludger.

"Right." Fleur chuckled, earning her a sideways glare from the prodigy.

"It's true!" Hermione cried, throwing up her arms. "A motorcycle is much more stable and sturdier."

"And eet gives you a reason to wear zis cool leazer jacket." Fleur sniggered. "Even zough eet 'as probably seen better days." She mumbled as she gently tugged on the cut on the arm of the worn jacket to prove her point.

"Yeah." Hermione grimaced as she eyed the tear in her favorite article of clothing that Baby put there and tried not to notice the delicate finger hooked in the fabric. The blonde had subtly moved a couple of inches closer to her, but she pushed that to the back of her mind. She couldn't let herself get wrapped up in the heiress so easily. "I've been meaning to get it to someone who can fix it. Hagrid gave it to me as a gift when I finally got my motorcycle. I would be mortified if he saw it in such a state."

"We can't 'ave zat." Fleur tsked as she retracted her finger, earning herself a small smile from the war hero. "What would ze media say eef zey saw 'Ermione Granger looking less zan fashionable?"

Hermione scoffed at the idea. "Probably what they always say." She sighed as she leaned back on her hands like Fleur did before while an unreadable expression took over the curse breaker's countenance.

A silence settled over them as Fleur thought on all of the attention Hermione got because of her now. It was her fault that Hermione had to deal with people constantly hounding her, scrutinizing every little thing she did. She hated that the Gryffindor had to deal with those cretins.

"Eet must be 'ard . . ." Fleur mumbled with a furrowed brow.

"Not so much anymore. I'm used to it and I have my motorcycle now." Hermione smiled half-heartedly. "It's the one thing that makes me feel free sometimes. I can get away from my problems and escape."

"Escape . . ." Fleur mimicked the last word, a far-off look taking over her countenance as a familiar wave of guilt washed over her. Hermione made it look as if the constant coverage didn't faze her, but it was clear that it really did bother her even now. All she had was her motorcycle to get away, because she felt the need to escape from the prison she had put her in. It was a monster of her own making that nearly swallowed the prodigy.

Dread filled Hermione once more when she inadvertently revealed more than she meant to and noticed the thoughtful look on the French witch's face. They had just gotten off of one touchy subject and were now on one that was far worse. She hadn't meant to dwell too much on the unwanted attention she constantly received. Yet another conversation she had been trying to avoid had found a way to wiggle its way into their conversation and now that they were isolated, she wasn't sure if running away was an option.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Fleur asked so quietly Hermione almost didn't hear it.

Hermione's heart skipped a beat at the question, that painful feeling she tried to stuff down deep inside starting to claw its way to the surface. "It . . ." She licked her suddenly dry lips to try to come up with some reason that Fleur would hopefully accept, but came up blank. "It wasn't important." Hermione mumbled weakly as her gaze shifted to the side in avoidance.

Fleur frowned at the response. How could Hermione possibly think that her suffering because of what she had done wasn't important? She could have tried to help, done something, anything, but she was left in the dark while her ex went through this on her own when she didn't have to. "You being slandered wasn't important?"

"It was hardly worth noting."

"'Arldy worz noting!?" Fleur cried incredulously. "'Ermione, your name was dragged zrough ze mud and I 'ad to find out about eet zrough Angelique. Angelique!"

Hermione flinched at the tone, that uneasy feeling settling into the pit of her stomach. "I'm sorry."

"Non." Fleur groaned as she fell back onto the sand. "Don't be sorry. I just . . ." Fleur let out a deep breath as she closed her eyes and tried to calm herself down. This wasn't how she wanted this to go and she really had no right to be yelling at the librarian. She was the one who caused this. She just wanted to understand and needed answers that Hermione had been evading. "I just wish I knew. I would 'ave tried to 'elp, but I 'ad no idea . . . and you didn't so much as send one let-"

"I know." Hermione cut off the veela as she pulled her knees closer to her chest.

Fleur eyed the Gryffindor, curiously watching the now fragile witch. She had to know why Hermione didn't reply to her even once. They had promised to write each other, but the brunette remained silent while she sent letter after letter to her. It was a question that had been bothering her for years and now that she could finally find out the reasoning, she wasn't going to stop until she did.

"Why?" Fleur sat up and turned her body towards the woman who was doing everything she could to look away from her.

Hermione let out a shaky breath, bracing herself for this now inevitable conversation that had been hanging over them since they teamed up. "Why what . . .?"

"'Ermione." Fleur frowned when her ex made a last-ditch effort to play dumb about the whole ordeal. Was she really going to act like she had no idea what Fleur was talking about? Did she have to spell it out for her?

Hermione glared down at the cool sand she absentmindedly started to play with in her trembling left hand. She didn't want to do this, because she knew she wasn't going to give the answer Fleur wanted, but the French witch was persistent. If she wanted to know so badly then she guessed there was no escaping it now.

"It was hard after you left okay?" Hermione let out a shaky breath as she ran her hand nervously through her long locks of dark hair. "I was a mess and I was angry at you, even though I tried to let it all go. I had to see a bloody therapist to try to sort everything out."

Fleur furrowed her brow, her heart sinking at the revelation as a fresh wave of guilt washed over her. "Eet was zat bad?"

"Worse." Hermione smiled sadly to herself, remembering their conversation in the lake what felt like a lifetime ago.

"I'm sor-"

"I wanted to forgive you . . ." Hermione cut off the other witch before she could apologize. She closed her eyes as she searched for the strength to admit what had been going through her mind back then. "And I thought I had in a way, but then those horrible articles started coming out and they never stopped." She gritted her teeth, remembering that feeling of hopelessness and agony all too well. "I couldn't even leave my own house without being bombarded. It was all too much and a part of me blamed you."

Fleur looked down as she clenched her fists at her side. She had hoped an outside force had stopped Hermione from communicating with her, but it was in fact Hermione who had taken some space for herself and deservedly so. That type of fallout would be too much for anyone to handle and she should have considered that after parting. She should have known the media would attack her like that. "I'm sorry."

"I don't blame you anymore Fleur." Hermione finally opened her eyes, trying to portray sincerity in her words. She wasn't lying earlier. She didn't harbor ill feelings towards her ex anymore and didn't want her to think she did. She was older now and understood the consequences of her fame far better than she would like to.

"If it hadn't been what happened between us, it would have been something else Rita Skeeter could dig up about me. Being in the spotlight was inevitable. I know that now. It was just so . . ." Hermione struggled to find the right word as she looked out to the glowing waves. "Fresh back then and I wanted to write to you. Honestly, I did. I just . . ." She let out a huff as she tried to articulate her thoughts into actual words under pressure while the heiress watched her under blonde locks. "I must have written about a thousand replies." She mumbled as her shoulders slumped in defeat and dropped her gaze down to the sand. "But I could never bring myself to send one and by the time I did send one, it was too late."

"You wrote to me . . .?"

Hermione's eyes drifted over to the heiress who looked so forlorn at this revelation before looking out into the abyss of the water. "Once."

-Flashback-

Hermione had been hiding out in her house for weeks, unwilling to go outside when she received a letter from Viktor Krum asking for her to meet up with him. He said he needed help with something and she had an inkling as to what. She was the one who had introduced him and his current girlfriend after all.

It was no secret that he was completely enamored with one of her best friends and he wasn't one to wait. He had told her before of his intentions to marry the fiery red-head, but she insisted he at least wait until Ginny graduated and now that that time was nearing, she knew he was going to be quick to make his move. He had been antsy for months already.

She tried to tell him she just wanted to be alone, but he insisted that going out would be good for her. Her therapist had said the same thing, but she still found it difficult to do. In the end, she caved in when she thought about not playing a part in a big event in her friend's life. She couldn't let these things keep getting to her and stopping her from living the best life she could.

She told him to meet with her in a certain café in Paris. Maybe she had been feeling masochistic when she suggested the place or maybe she just wanted to reminisce about better times before her life came crumbling down. She ended up justifying the decision in her head by reasoning that Paris would be the best place to find a ring and, in her defense, it was.

When they met up, she was of course bombarded by reporters, but Viktor was quick to scare them off and offer her a reassuring smile. It would seem having a friend that was no stranger to fame did have some perks. He dealt with the attention in stride and acted so swiftly it shocked the brunette.

She was more than relieved when they were left alone and felt herself start to relax for the first time in six months. The noose that had been around her neck felt like it was finally loosening and she was able to just talk with a friend out in public without being bothered.

Viktor was nothing but kind, getting her to laugh easily and drop the guard she was used to having up. Imagine her surprise when he went to get coffee and while he was up, a certain blonde walked into the shop. What were the chances?

She sat there frozen to the spot as she took in the goddess that floated into the room. It had been so long since she had seen Fleur, she almost forgot how painfully beautiful she was. Almost.

She felt unworthy to simply look at her and when those striking blue eyes landed on her, she felt that familiar race in her pulse. Time seemed to grind to a halt as they interlocked eyes across the room. All she could think to do was dumbly smile over at the veela, all thoughts of resentment leaving her mind when she saw that heavenly smile returned in kind.

'Merlin . . . how have I stayed away?' She sighed as she inwardly swooned and noticed that necklace Fleur had given her sitting delicately on her neck. The sight made her heart painfully restrict in her chest and forced all of the air out of her lungs. It was so easy to get lost in the moment as she took in the image before her, but like all good things that happened to her these days, it came to an end almost as soon as it arrived.

Viktor returned with her cup of coffee, obstructing her view for all of a second, but it was one second too long, because the next thing she knew, the smile was erased from Fleur's face. A look of pain and betrayal replaced it, her sapphires broken, frail, and filling with tears.

Hermione felt her veins fill with ice and panic start to set in as Fleur took a step back towards the door. She should do something, anything, but instead she was rooted to her seat, helplessly watching the scene unfold in front of her. This wasn't how she imagined any sort of reunion with Fleur going. She was supposed to yell at her or kiss her or both. She hadn't decided yet, but it hardly mattered now, because it was going so horribly wrong so fast and then the next thing she knew, Fleur was running out the front door.

"Shit." Hermione cursed, bolting to action as she jumped from her seat. This had to look bad and maybe she didn't owe the blonde an explanation, but her body had a mind of its own.

"Hermione?" Viktor frowned at Hermione's abrupt action. "Vhat is vrong?"

"I-I'll be back." Hermione tried to smile reassuringly at the seeker before she flew out of the shop, her head jerking to the left to see where Fleur had gone.

She considered herself lucky when she saw that familiar head of blonde hair quickly making its way down the street, but the feeling was fleeting. A second later she saw Fleur pause at a trashcan, looking down into the bin before she ripped the necklace from her body and carelessly tossing it in.

Her heart plummeted at the sight as bile made its way into her throat. A feeling of helplessness took over her, her voice escaping her as she tried to call out to the heiress. What had she done? Was Fleur done with her now? Was this really it?

She thought she had been ready to walk away from the girl who had essentially destroyed her reputation and lied to her at almost every turn, but seeing her brought back all of the old feelings she harbored for her. Feelings her therapist warned her wouldn't go away and tried to help her process so she can attempt to have a healthy relationship with the veela. One where she wouldn't harbor this resentment, but it was too late now.

Fleur turned a corner into an alley and she heard that familiar sound of apparation. The blonde had slipped through her fingers and she let her. She could have done something, but she dumbly sat there while Fleur came to her own conclusions. Now, all she could do was numbly walk to the trash can and look at the necklace that Fleur had gotten her and apparently worn since she gave it back sitting atop the rubbish.

The metaphor was not lost on the prodigy in that moment as she looked at the jewelry forlornly. Everything they had was lost, discarded as if it meant nothing. It was all because of their constant misunderstandings and lack of communication, something she was guilty of too. She knew deep down that no matter how many times she said she was done with the heiress, she didn't truly mean it, but now the choice had been ripped from her hands. Much like the necklace had been ripped from Fleur's throat.

It wasn't until she arrived back in the café that it all really hit her, but she kept it together long enough to choose out a ring she thought Ginny would like. To be honest, it was all a blur after that gut-wrenching moment, but the day wasn't about her after all and she would have to at least try to make things up Fleur. She just hoped Fleur would read her letter and reply, unlike she had done to her.

She wrote down her apology as soon as she could, trying to explain everything, telling her she still loved her and wanted to try again. She spilled her guts onto that piece of parchment and she waited for a response for days. It wasn't until a week later that she got her response in the form of her own letter being returned to her, unopened. It was the only answer she needed.

'So that's it . . .'

She had expected a relationship like theirs to go out with a bang, not a meager whimper. It ended in frigid silence with no real words of meaning being shared.

Fleur clearly wanted nothing to do with her and how could she truly blame her? She should have said something sooner, but she waited too long, holding on to her childish anger instead. She was going to have to live with this horrible mistake for the rest of her life.

-End Flashback-

"When the letter came back to me and you stopped writing, I took the hint and thought it would be best to leave you alone. I didn't want bother you." Hermione grimaced as she recalled the memory, but made sure to leave out her pining, self-loathing, and her futile attempted to pursue the French witch. What good would that do now?

Fleur floundered as she sat next to her ex, searching for something to say. She had no idea Hermione had written her after her abrupt departure. In her drunken daze the days that followed the fallout, multiple owls had pecked at her hotel room window, but she ignored every last one. She went off the grid after that and made sure nothing could reach her, but hadn't thought of who might be trying to write her.

She just assumed that Hermione's silence would continue. She had said nothing to her for months and it was safe to say that it wouldn't change, especially after seeing her with Viktor Krum.

She felt sick as she realized that if she had just stuck around a day more, she could have received that letter Hermione had sent and things would be so different now. If she hadn't run away, she could have gotten that response she had been waiting for or an explanation. How was she supposed to know that Hermione would change her mind though?

"I didn't know . . ." Was the only thing Fleur could think to say.

"It's all water under the bridge now though." Hermione shrugged, attempting to seem unaffected by the painful memory. "I don't know if it's the explanation you were hoping for, but there it is."

Fleur struggled to come to terms with everything. It really wasn't the reasoning she was hoping for, but she couldn't fault Hermione's logic, could she? If she had been in the celebrity's shoes, she wasn't sure she would have acted any differently. She had effectively thrown Hermione to the wolves and thought her actions back at Hogwarts would make up for it. Hermione's anger was understandable. It was hurtful, but still, understandable.

Even with this horrible revelation, something else echoed and rang loudly in Fleur's mind in light of this new knowledge. What were in the contents of the letter? What had her ex said to her? Had she wanted her back? Hermione didn't bother to elaborate on that important bit of information, but she had to know.

"What did ze letter say?"

Another blush tinted Hermione's cheeks as she cleared her throat. She was really hoping Fleur wouldn't ask that. That was something she couldn't and wouldn't divulge to her ex. It was far too embarrassing. "Nothing much."

"'Ermione."

A friendly smile that didn't quite reach the Gryffindor's amber eyes replaced the thoughtful frown that had marred her countenance before. She desperately wanted this to be left alone and hoped that blowing it off would do the trick. It was still too painful to think about, let alone talk about with said person that hurt her. "Honestly, I don't remember anymore." She attempted to laugh off the situation with a wave a hand, as if the whole thing could be easily dismissed. "It was so long ago."

Hermione made a move to get up, but a dainty hand shot out and snatched her wrist, pulling her back into the sand with a soft thud. Fleur wouldn't be letting the war hero escape this time. She remembered and they both knew it.

When Hermione uneasily looked back to Fleur, she fixed Hermione with a meaningful look that made the librarian faulter by the sheer intensity. "Yes, you do."

"I-it hardly matters now." Hermione meagerly tried to push off the subject, but even she didn't believe the words that tumbled from her mouth.

"Eet matters to me." Fleur mumbled as she loosened her hold, but kept the golden girl's wrist firmly in her grasp to keep her from running away yet again.

Amber eyes slightly obscured by dark locks drifted away from the curse breaker, fragile and unsure. "Why?"

'Why?' The absurd question flitted around in Fleur's brain, her icy gaze burning a hole in the side of Hermione's head. 'I waited forever for 'er and she asks why zis ees important.'

"You're not one to ask stupid questions 'Ermione." Fleur chided the Gryffindor as she moved not so subtly closer to her ex who was having an internal battle.

Even though she couldn't see Hermione's face, she could practically see those wheels turning in that brilliant mind, which often got her nowhere in moments like this. Hermione was trying to find an out and she was going to have to find a way to make those wheel stop turning. If she wanted to get anywhere, she knew the best way to accomplish her goal. It was risky and bold, but at this point, it was worth it.

"I don-"

Before Hermione could find some other feeble excuse to escape this exact situation Fleur had been hoping and waiting for, the veela reached out with her free hand and turned the brunette's head in her direction.

Wild honey looked into her own unwavering gaze as Fleur cupped her jaw, Hermione's mouth dumbly hanging open while her thumb ran along her ex's sharp jawline. She could see the conflict raging in Hermione's eyes and knew it was time to strike. This could be her only chance to make her move before Hermione slipped from her grasp once more.

She wet her lips with her tongue, something that didn't go unnoticed by Hermione before she started to slowly lean in. She would at least give the Gryffindor an out, she wasn't going to take what she wanted by force. She needed to know Hermione reciprocated these feelings and just lunging at her was not going to do.

Hermione didn't make a move to get away, but Fleur sensed her reluctance as she drew closer. Her form was rigid, her hands digging into the sand while Fleur made her move. They were so close now she could feel the rapid breaths escaping the prodigy's slightly parted mouth.

The French witch paused, hesitating for all of a second as her eyes flickered back up to frightened gold before settling back on those cherry lips that looked like they had filled out more since Hogwarts. She was dying to see if they tasted or felt different and since Hermione still hadn't withdrawn, her eyelashes fluttered closed and she erased the space between them.

The kiss wasn't like their first one, full of passion and urgent, it was hesitant and unsure. Her lips trembled as she held her full lips to Hermione's, but she got nothing in return. Hermione wasn't reciprocating or responding and that hurt more than any lesion or gash she could ever receive.

Fleur didn't linger too long for that reason even though she wanted to. The sting of rejection and disappointment infiltrated every fiber of her being as she pulled away, but her hand lingered on Hermione's face who sat there with wide eyes. Panic was playing along her features along with something Fleur couldn't readily discern.

"Zat ees why . . ." Fleur mumbled as she averted her gaze and dropped her hand from the unresponsive librarian.

Hermione sat there frozen for a minute, everything in her mind going blank except for the thought of how soft Fleur's lips were. She temporarily forgot how to breathe and had to do so manually as the gears in her head screeched to a halt. She forgot how velvety and experienced those lips were and had they always tasted like vanilla?

As she pondered that, she noticed the veela started to withdraw and disappear inside of herself, misunderstanding her response. She just never thought she would be kissing Fleur Delacour again. The effect of the action was almost instant and left her speechless. Her normal human functions were starting to work again and although she knew she shouldn't do it, she could hardly be held responsible for what she did next.

"Fleur." Hermione spoke firmly, bringing pained arctic blue back to her and before she could overthink anymore, she tangled a hand in blonde locks and brought Fleur back to her rightful place.

Fleur felt her heart leap into her throat at the unexpected response, her body tensing momentarily before her brain caught up to what was happening. Hermione was kissing her and Merlin, she was good at it. Better than she remembered.

Every muscle in her body relaxed, putty in Hermione's hands as she reciprocated the kiss. She finally got what she had been waiting for. This is what she had been hoping for and so much better than she thought it would be.

She let out a sigh as she felt her lips practically melt into Hermione's. That familiar narcissistic thought that the Gryffindor was indeed made just for her drifting into her mind as she placed her hand on Hermione's slim waist to pull her closer and deepen the kiss she was drowning in.

'I forgot how much I love kissing this woman. How did I go so long without it?' Hermione thought to herself as Fleur's grip on her waist tightened and her velvety lips started to become more assertive.

Those full pink lips were pure magic, dancing in time with her own in a way that made time itself stand still. It was downright sinful the way Fleur's fingers dug into her exposed skin, coaxing her forward as her tongue ran along Hermione's lower lip. The smallest touch from the veela was electrifying, almost as if her fingertips had a direct line to her pulse.

Hermione wanted to groan at the feeling, but just barely managed to keep the sound back. She was more experienced now, but nothing would ever fully prepare her for Fleur Delacour. She really was a goddess walking amongst mere mortals on this earth and Hermione was somehow deemed worthy to be in her presence.

She felt that tongue insistently brush against her lower lip again and when she didn't immediately comply, she was met with perfect teeth biting her lower lip and tugging on the flesh in a way that made her moan. It was almost as if the heiress was silently challenging her, daring Hermione's Gryffindor fighting spirit to come out and play.

'That's it.' Hermione growled, unable to let the provocation go when Fleur bit down a little harder. In one swift movement, she threw her leg over Fleur's waist and straddled the veela, throwing gasoline on the fire already blazing wildly in the pit of her stomach.

Fleur idly thought the position they were in was familiar, but Merlin, Hermione really knew what she was doing now. Hermione had become a bit more dominant since Fleur had last been intimate with her and she couldn't say that she disliked this change, especially when those shapely hips were instinctively pulsing against her own. It created the most deliciously frustrating friction she had felt in her whole life that left her wanting more.

'That's new.' Fleur thought to herself as her hands ran up the back of her ex's thighs, feeling how the muscles contracted beneath the skin. Time really had been kind to Hermione, her body filling out, and becoming slightly more muscular from the last time she had touched it. It was another welcomed new addition to the brunette and she was excited to see what other new things she could find.

Deft fingers tangled in Fleur's long blonde hair, gripping it tightly as Hermione's body started to heat up from the smallest skin on skin contact. Those electric fingertips grazed the back of her thighs just lightly enough to send shivers running up and down her spine before they moved to possessively grab her hips that had a mind of their own, her thumbs digging into the warm flesh.

The firm hold was enough to practically make Hermione's eyes roll into the back of her head as she slid her tongue into the French witch's mouth. The heat was becoming unbearable when Fleur tugged insistently on her hips, encouraging her to add more friction and pressure that would surely make them both snap.

Electricity and fire intermingled in Hermione's veins as those same hands slid from her hips when Fleur realized Hermione needed no further encouragement. She could feel the warm trail the blonde's palms left behind as they made their way up her ribs then to her shoulders to push off her thick leather jacket. It was almost as if Fleur could sense her growing irritation with all of the clothing getting in her way and Hermione was all too happy to shrug the offending material off, only letting her hands leave the heiress' hair long enough to take her arms out of the sleeves.

"Merde." Fleur groaned as Hermione pushed her hips a little rougher into her and moved from her warm inviting lips down to her neck, sucking and kissing the flesh in a way that made the French witch squirm.

'She ees going to be ze deaz of me.' Fleur thought to herself as her hands found purchase on those shapely hips again just so she could feel the practiced movement of the woman above her. She moved them to that well-toned butt next, gripping it so aggressively it made Hermione jump for a moment, but by the way she felt Hermione smile against her neck, she liked it. That was also something new that the veela took note of.

Fleur knew her eyes were surely glowing bright enough to light up all of Greece at this point, but she could hardly help it. The feel of her ex kissing her collar bone and leaving little love bites before she apologized with her tongue when she bit a little too hard was intoxicating, but not nearly enough for the veela. She still wanted more. She needed to remind Hermione who she belonged to so she slid her hands up the front of those toned thighs and then to that damned button on those tight short, keeping what she wanted away from her.

The fire inside of Hermione just about melted her insides when she felt, more than heard the snap of the button of her jean shorts being undone. A wave of excitement coursed through her as she moved from Fleur's sharp jaw to her lips she proceeded to rightfully capture again.

Those fingertips started to dip past her waistband, her stomach quivering at the touch as Hermione found herself agreeing with a death eater for the first time in her life. Veela, no Fleur Delacour, really was a delicacy. One that Hermione longed to taste again, but that same sinful thought was the one that snapped her out of her stupor and brought her crashing back down onto earth.

'Ah, so there is something Hermione Granger does care about. Or rather, someone.'

That haunting voice drifted into Hermione's ears, the image of Fleur's head on a platter shattering the euphoric feeling that just been coursing through her seconds ago. It was like a bucket of ice water had been dumped on her, reminding her of where they were, what they were fighting, and the danger Fleur would surely be in if she caved into her desires.

"W-wait." Hermione pulled away, stilling Fleur's movements and evoking clouded over neon eyes to look at her confused. "We can't."

Fleur's brow furrowed at the sudden change in events, her heart still hammering painfully and her chest heaving from the excitement of everything. "What?"

"I mean . . ." Hermione sighed as she gently grabbed Fleur's wrists to pull her hands away from her body even though it was almost painful doing so. This was going to hurt, but it was for the best. It was too dangerous to be giving into her carnal desires right now. It would be yet another thing to be used against her and would surely put Fleur in the cross hairs of anyone who cared to observe them together and she couldn't do that to Fleur. It wasn't worth the risk. "I can't . . ."

"I don't understand." Fleur frowned as Hermione's words started to sink in, that familiar ache settling in her chest. Everything had been going so well, more than that really, but the Gryffindor did a complete one eighty. What had changed in the last couple of seconds? What did she do wrong?

Hermione looked away from those piercing eyes racing with questions as she carefully disentangled herself from the curse breaker and sat down on the sand next to her. Almost every part of her was screaming to return to their previous activities. Almost. But the logical part of her that was barely intact right now told her she needed to do what was right. It was agonizing not having Fleur the way she wanted to, but it would be far worse knowing that the heiress was dead and it was her fault. She hated herself in this moment more than Fleur ever possibly could, because she knew better. She shouldn't have caved in so easily.

"I'm sorry."

The words were hollow and empty, leaving Fleur even more confused and hurt. Things had been going better than she hoped they would. She didn't understand. She thought that they had finally crossed that threshold they had been dancing around since they reunited. She couldn't fathom what had changed so drastically to make Hermione suddenly turn from her now, so she went to the only option she could think of.

"Ees eet because of what 'appened at 'Ogwarts? Ze bet?"

"No." Hermione shook her head, her heart shattering at Fleur's broken tone. This wasn't her fault and it killed her that Fleur thought it was. "It's not you, it's-"

"Don't you dare say eet's not you, eet's me." Fleur growled as irritation took over her confusion and sadness. The added sexual frustration did nothing to help the situation either. She could not believe Hermione Granger had the nerve to be using that line on her when they were about to . . . reconcile? What was the brunette playing at? She didn't get it.

"Fleur, let's be adults about this." Hermione replied tiredly as despair filled her where there had once been hope. "It's not a good idea."

"Not a good idea?" Fleur laughed mirthlessly as she jumped to feet and wiped the sand off of herself. "Well, per'aps you should 'ave said zat before all of . . ." She waved her hand around where they had just been making out. "Zis."

"I wasn't thinking." Hermione grumbled, wishing the heated veela would just drop the issue. She already felt guilty enough already and this was just making things so much worse and difficult.

"Clearly." Fleur snapped as she turned her back on the girl with her arms crossed.

"Let's just forget about it." Hermione sighed as she stood up and headed towards her motorcycle. "I'll give you a ride back."

"I'm perfectly capable of apparting on my own." Fleur mumbled as she tried to stuff down that horrible sting of rejection and pain that jabbed at her every two seconds. This was all so cruel. Her hopes and spirits had been raised only for them to be stomped on right before her very eyes. She had to get out of here before she died from the pure agony of the whole situation.

"You shouldn't-"

Before Hermione could finish the sentence, the blonde disappeared with a loud pop, leaving her alone to her thoughts.

With a strangled groan Hermione fell back onto the sand and put her head in her hands. She really had screwed up and quite epically this time. Everything was a mess and it was entirely her fault. "Fuck . ."

AN: Honestly, I'm surprised Fleur hasn't gone on a homicidal rampage at this point. I admire her restraint, because if this bitch snapped, no one would be safe XD Okay, now the letters have finally been revealed. I know everyone was kind of expecting something more dramatic, but I couldn't bring myself to have yet another outside force be the reason for their issues. Yes, Hermione did say she forgave Fleur at Hogwarts, but that girl didn't feel the full effect of what happened until after. I think her little bit of resentment postmortem was understandable even though it super screwed things up lol A lot happened in this chapter and we finally got that one on one discussion and make out sesh that needed to happen. Trust me, I've wanted them to finally talk too haha As always, I would love to hear your thoughts on the chapter and before any of you murder me, try to remember that you need me to finish this tale if you want to see them happily together! You can kill me after lol

Oh, I also made a tumblr for this fanfic page. I had another author tell me to do it, but I really have no idea what to do with it haha If you guys want to send me memes or post on the thread or whatever it's called (i feel old XD) between chapters or ask questions, I'm always down to answer them. I think you just need to look up Perpetual Nonsense and you'll see I have the same profile pic and such. Someone also mentioned Twitter . . . would that be better? (asking for a friend XD) Anyways, I must go make fourteen year old boys cry and rage quit COD now. See you guys next time!