Author: Lash_Larue

Title: "Not Fate" Chapter 28 of 28

Pairing: Fleur/Hermione Hermione/Gabrielle

Rating: PG 13-R

Summary: The why of the title, things are resolved

Warnings: None new, if you got through the last you'll get through this one okay too.

Word Count: 2300

Disclaimer: These characters belong to JK Rowling, except the ones like Linda Wilkes, who don't.

A/N: Thank you for your kind attention, and special thanks to those of you who have commented. Feedback is like oxygen. The ladies in the story are quite happy, promise.

L

"Not Fate"

Chapter 28

It is difficult not to weep, when the deepest longing of your heart is fulfilled.

Hermione stared through her tears, and her knees nearly buckled. She felt a spreading heat between her legs, and her breath caught in her throat as her heart tried to pound its way clear of her chest.

There stood Fleur in a clinging gown so white that it made sugar look dingy. Her hair was loose about her shoulders, and the look on her face was one of pure, passionate, hunger, with not the tiniest sliver of doubt or fear.

"You have feasted often at my table, my love," Fleur said in a voice heavy with emotion, "and now it is time for you to drink my sweet wine…"

Had she been able to think, been given any time to consider, Hermione might have hesitated out of remembered fear.

She was however given no such time, for Fleur swarmed over her after she disposed of Hermione's clothing with a flick of her wand. She pulled Hermione on top of her as she fell onto their bed, and wrapped her arms and legs around her, pressing herself feverishly against Hermione. Fleur shoved her gown down towards her waist, seized Hermione by the hair, and pulled her mouth firmly to her breast.

The already-hardened nipple warmed noticeably on Hermione's tongue as Fleur's blood heated further, but her head was forced away from there before Hermione had had nearly enough.

"Now!" Fleur demanded, and she took one of Hermione's hands and pressed it firmly to her wet and eager folds, urging the fingers inside.

All of it, all of the repressed longing that Fleur had for Hermione simply poured from her as she eagerly surrendered to her touch, greedily milked her fingers, and ruthlessly plundered her mouth. The cry that came from Fleur's throat when Hermione's mouth joined her fingers, when Hermione at last tasted Fleur's love and need for her, was one of pure unbridled joy.

xxxxxx

Hermione had sort of casually expected, back when she and Fleur truly became a couple that she would naturally over time pick up a fair bit of the French language. This thought was reinforced when Gabrielle entered the picture on a permanent basis, because she and Fleur sometimes conversed in French.

She had not, however, expected to get a doctorate level course in just how many ways a single word of French could be pronounced, how widely the inflections could vary, and how nearly violently that she would react to it.

She felt Fleur stirring in her arms, and though by now she should not have been, she was still a little surprised when the soft lips gently kissed her ear, and Fleur breathed the word yet again...

"Encore…"

For a brief instant she wondered if it might not have been a good thing if Fleur and Gabrielle had been those kinds of sisters, so that she would have some help, but then Fleur pushed Hermione's head firmly downward and she no longer wondered about anything at all.

Now. Now, in this moment, it was perfect. It was better even than the dream that had sent Fleur rushing to Hermione in the night.

They both knew that there would be times in the future when Fleur would wake from other than beautiful dreams, when she would pull away; withdraw in brief panic, for some wounds never fully heal. But they also knew that there would be more times like this, many more times like this in the years ahead of them, times to share with Gabrielle, times of great joy. And over time the bad times would come less often. Enough. Fleur would heal enough.

xxxxxx

Hermione did surface for a few minutes during the day to spell instructions onto the board in her classroom, along with a note saying that she would not be in that day. True, it was still Sunday, but…

It was passing noon on Monday when they finally admitted that a world existed beyond where they touched. The images that Fleur spelled into their lockets were a collage of lovemaking, bathing, cuddling, talking, a tiny bit of eating food, and brief stretches of what was more unconsciousness than sleep.

"I want you," Fleur said, "and you want me, and fear can no longer keep me from you."

"I got a little scared a time or two," Hermione admitted, "I thought one or the other of us was going to die for real a couple of times."

"Perhaps we need more practice?" Fleur suggested as she kissed Hermione. Fleur giggled at the look of mingled desire and trepidation that crossed Hermione's face.

Things were feeling a bit tender on each of them, and nearly everywhere. They had decided to let the bulk of the bruises, scratches, and bite marks heal on their own, however. They were frankly pleased with them, and Fleur had been sure to include their favorites in their lockets.

They also decided to try firecalling Gabrielle. Fleur had considered using her locket, but while the news was of tremendous import to them all, it was hardly an emergency. Gabrielle's assistant promised to let her know that they had called as soon as she got back from the planning session that currently had her away from her office.

They were cuddled together on the couch when Gabrielle's face appeared in the fire.

"Are you both well?" she asked, concern plain on her face.

"Extremely so," Fleur confirmed, and Gabrielle's face split in a wide grin.

"Merveilleux!" she exclaimed. "Please do not use her up before I see her again, ma belle soeur."

"How did you know?" Hermione asked her.

"I recognize the look on Fleur's face; I have seen it before, in the mirror. It is the face of a woman who has been dismantled by Hermione Granger. There is no other look to compare."

Hermione was absolutely astonished at the reaction that her body had to Gabrielle's face and voice when Gabrielle said that, even in its current state. "I wonder if there is something wrong with me?" she thought. Then she looked at Fleur and Gabrielle as they talked excitedly together "No," she decided firmly, "there is not a damn thing wrong here."

"She is magnificent, is she not, Fleur?"

"Completely," Fleur agreed.

"If you two are trying to make me blush it's not going to work," Hermione advised them

"Of course not, Hermione my love," Gabrielle assured her. "I shall be with you soon; I look forward to my turn in the chair. Au 'voir, mon couers."

xxxxxx

The long spring term passed swiftly, and Gabrielle was able to visit twice for brief periods. Gabi really enjoyed her time in the chair, and was quite proud of both Hermione and Fleur. Paula Wellows returned from her trip to France with a glow about her, and happily told Hermione that Gabrielle had invited her to come to St. Catherine's for a weekend over the summer. Hermione had offered her sincere congratulations, and reminded herself not to get out of line with Gabi while Paula was there. Not that she thought she'd have the chance, for if Gabi had invited her, Gabi had plans for her that did not involve anyone else.

Ginny sent both Fleur and Hermione albums with pictures of the children, and one of her and Harry that showed that Hermione Isabelle was well on her way. Hermione put that one on the mantle. She and Fleur were going for a visit with them just prior to their time on St. Catherine's. Linda had chipped in a bit on the rent, and they had two whole months on St. Catherine's. Even better, Gabrielle would be with them most of the time.

Things both exciting and routine continued to occur for all of them, some good, others not.

In short, they lived the lives they had chosen for themselves, and were unceasingly appreciative of the time they were able to spend together.

Especially, of course, the time they had together on St. Catherine's.

xxxxxx

The visit with Harry and Ginny and their kids was approached nervously by all of the adults. Things had been said and done that could not be undone or wished away, and the relationships among them had been fundamentally altered.

But because they all really did care for one another the awkwardness soon passed, and while it was not what it had been, they were able to make a good start on what it would become. The kids warmed instantly to their estranged Aunts, and that helped things along. Harry heaved a huge inward sigh of relief when Fleur, Ginny, and Hermione exited his study with wet eyes and wide smiles, after having had a private talk.

Ron and Lavender were away, and Harry thought that a good thing, really. Lavender was a little unpredictable at times.

They visited over a weekend, and Percy actually stopped in to say hello, hiding his nervousness behind an overly formal manner. Hermione had to smile at that, because, well, it was so very Percy-like of him.

"Thank you for having us as guests in your home, Ginny," Fleur said as the time of departure drew near, "I am happy to be friends with you again, and be sure and let us know when little Isabelle arrives. I also appreciate your acceptance of Hermione and me as a couple; it cannot be a simple thing for your heart."

"Simple enough," Ginny corrected, "it's obvious you belong together. Ron's happy, Bill's - oh! I guess you don't know, Bill's engaged, he says she's a real bitch!"

"And this makes him happy?" Hermione asked.

"It's a werewolf thing," Ginny explained, "for them, that's quite a compliment."

"Aunt Fleur, could you have a look at my charms essay before you go?" called James, and Fleur went over to help him.

"So," Ginny began, and the impish grin on her face had them back at Hogwarts, if only for the moment, "how's the sex?"

"Astonishing," Hermione promised with no hint of embarrassment. Ginny slowly nodded her head as she looked at Fleur.

"I'll bet. She looks like she'd taste good, and no whisker burn from those cheeks, I'm sure," Ginny said. That did surprise Hermione a bit.

"Ginny – have you ever – with a woman?"

"Once. My last year at Hogwarts. Luna just walked right up to me and asked if I'd like to make love with her. She said that she could tell we'd 'mesh that way'. I was pissed off at Harry at the time, and we weren't even engaged then, and she was just so, so Luna, that I thought 'what the hell'. I'll never forget it."

"I shouldn't wonder, Luna is indeed Luna, and she is remarkable. Do you ever miss that? The touch of a woman?"

"Not really, or at least not often, anyway. I'm in love with Harry, really in love with him, and he's all that I need in that regard. In any case, Luna is the only woman I've ever felt that sort of attraction to, although there is something about Gabrielle that kind of- what are you grinning at?" Ginny demanded, but whatever reply Hermione had in mind was cut off when Fleur returned to them.

"We must go now, Hermione, you know how Gabrielle gets when you keep her waiting," Fleur reminded her.

Ginny's eyebrows disappeared into her hair, but Hermione's only answer to the unspoken question was a Mona Lisa smile.

"So. Not. Fair." Ginny whispered, and then both Fleur and Hermione kissed her on the cheek, said goodbye to Harry and the kids, and departed for St. Catherine's and the impatient Gabrielle.

"That went all right, didn't it love?" Harry asked as he hugged his wife and then kissed her.

"You need a shave, Harry."

xxxxxx

Fleur and Hermione took a moment and simply breathed deeply of the air that was very nearly food and drink to them both, and then they eagerly went to greet Gabi so that all of their hearts could again beat as they should.

By now the permanent residents of St. Catherine's loved them all and welcomed them like family, for the women in the lovely house on the small hill treated them as friends and neighbors rather than as serfs. The rare renter who was less than respectful of the property found it very hard indeed to get basic necessities there, much less any domestic help.

For Fleur, Gabrielle, and Hermione, St. Catherine's island was already home. There the three of them were free of constraint, and their love flourished and grew. Unconventional, perhaps, but it was theirs and nobody else's, forever. Married they could not be, but wedded they were, soul to soul to soul.

But blissful as the time there had been, it was once again coming to a temporary end, and Fleur, Hermione, Gabrielle, and Linda were enjoying the last few days before the outside world would once again assert itself.

"God, what a perfect couple," Linda said as she and Gabrielle watched Fleur and Hermione walk into the warm blue water, "fate must have brought them together."

"No," Gabrielle demurred with a shake of her head, "not fate. Uncommon minds, shared interests, courage, and desire. There are two strong women, each of whom had the courage to seek what she truly wanted, to leave all that she had known to discover who she truly was, and could become. It was this strength, this courage, which merged their roads. Those women fought for their love. They fought, and they triumphed. They brought themselves together, not fate." Gabrielle took up a bottle and rubbed flobberworm extract on Linda's back, and Linda leaned into the touch.

"Fate?" Gabrielle continued, as she gazed on the two women she loved above all else, two women she had killed for.

"Fate is their bitch."