Narcissa Malfoy was not a maternal woman. And for both of the Malfoy parents it was an arranged marriage. Long she had dreamed of escaping her husband and England and just relaxing on a beach somewhere. She had certainly never wanted children but she had no choice the first time. The contract between their families had demanded it. This pregnancy was her way out. Finally she could be free of Lucius Malfoy and Malfoy Manor. It was, for her, a prison. A prison she had long been trapped in. In their entire marriage, closing in on sixteen years now, they had had sex twice. Lucius was not her type. He didn't force himself on her but then she knew that she wasn't his type either. Lucius preferred muggles and muggleborns. It was rather amusing to her that the blood purist wasn't interested in any pureblood women. She gazed at her swollen stomach. Just two more months and she'd be due. Lucius would have his heirs, she'd have the divorce, and the pair could go their separate ways. Maybe she'd visit her sister Andromeda before she left. She missed her.
Ron Weasley sat down on the grass. Ever since his expulsion his mother had been working him full-time. Ron had always had chores but he'd often been able to get his siblings to do it. In just one day Ron had had to clean the bedrooms out, sweep all the floors, and degnome the garden. Degnoming wasn't much fun when it was alone and the gnomes kept biting his ankles. "Ron get in here," he heard his mother yell. Thinking he was to be given a huge dinner he hurried inside only to see a small portion on his plate. "Go wash up and then after dinner you'll do the dishes."
"What?! I just worked all day like a bloody muggle and you're making me do the dishes too?!"
Arthur grabbed his youngest son by the arm, "You got kicked out of Hogwarts. You will earn your keep or I will toss you out on your rear! Now apologize to your mother and march upstairs to clean yourself up!"
Ron had never seen his father so angry. "Sorry Mum," he said before he ran up the stairs as fast as he could. Molly rubbed her forehead and Arthur sighed.
The third task grew nearer and excitement began to grow around the castle. While Durmstrang and Beauxbatons were ahead Hogwarts wasn't far behind in the points tallies, meaning there was every chance any school could win. Not that people knew how the points system worked. They just knew that Draco was screwed and Draco would mutter about the unfairness and the blood traitors conspiring against him.
The morning of the task dawned bright and with clear skies. Harry and Hermione woke and settled into each other, "Good morning Harry," she whispered.
"Morning," he sighed, stretching and sliding over to her. "Worried for our friends?"
"This one I'm not as worried about. Veela and ice water was my concern before," Hermione said.
He nodded in understanding and sat up in bed. "Who do you think will win?"
"I really don't care," she said. "I just want our friends to make it out alive."
It was mid-morning when the four champions were called into the Great Hall to see their families. Fleur and Viktor dragged Harry and Hermione along and Hermione finally got to meet Apolline Delacour, Fleur's mother. "It is a pleasure to meet you child," Apolline said, kissing Hermione on both cheeks.
"That feeling is certainly mutual Madame," Hermione said, returning the greeting. "Thank you for the invitation to visit. I suspect we might need someone to hold my father back when he learns just how involved Harry and I are."
"I can understand how worried you are but Claude and I will do our best to explain things to your parents," Apolline smiled as Gabrielle pulled Fleur aside to talk, "I was so pleased to hear that Fleur had made a friend here. It has never been easy for her to make friends. But her letters home this year have been so cheerful, so happy. You are a good friend to my daughter."
"She's been a good friend to me too," Hermione smiled as the two began to talk about their time in France that summer.
While Hermione was talking with Apolline Harry was being introduced to Viktor's parents and little brother. Viktor's mother glanced around the hall before her eyes settled on Hermione and she smiled, "That girl is Veela."
"Hermione," Harry nodded, "my girlfriend and mate."
"I'm glad she has found such an understanding mate," she said. "I worried she might not when I first saw her. And for most Veela it is a very real concern that they might not find that mate."
Harry's eyes widened as things snapped into place, "You…you're Mira? The one that she writes to?"
"I am," she nodded, smiling at his surprise. "You knew I was Veela, did you not?"
"Well yes but I didn't expect you to be Viktor's mum," Harry said.
Mira laughed, "I suppose I can understand that. Now do me a favor, Harry, and introduce me to your mate and the Veela she's sitting with."
Harry did as asked, walking over to the other table, "Hermione? Madame Delacour?"
"Call me Apolline, Harry," Apolline smiled before her eyes raised to gaze at Mira, "Fleur said that Viktor's mother was Veela too."
"We seem to be taking Hogwarts by storm," Mira said.
Hermione looked up at Mira, "You're…Mrs. Krum it was you in that bathroom!"
"Call me Mira Hermione. And yes I was. I must say, I'm quite impressed by your mate. You're a very lucky young woman."
"I'm the lucky one," Harry said automatically in response, earning him a kiss from his girlfriend.
The two elder Veela smiled at each other before Apolline got an idea, "Mira perhaps you would be interested in joining us as well this summer? We must explain to Hermione's muggle parents that their daughter is Veela."
Mira glanced at her son before speaking, "I think some time on some French beaches would be nice to enjoy. Would you mind if I joined you in France Viktor?"
"Not at all," he said. Harry and Hermione exchanged a smile. Fleur, meanwhile, did as she usually did, keeping her cool but smiling at his answer.
That was an aspect of Fleur that surprised Harry. He and Hermione weren't about to shag or snog in public but sharing a kiss or snuggling in the common room was an ordinary occurrence for them. The Veela nature often had her hungry for him and even just some handholding was enough to satisfy that hunger. Fleur never engaged in public displays of affection. He knew that she was part Veela so a great many things that were powerful for Hermione were weaker for her but Harry wondered if part of it was simply Fleur's rather standoffish nature too.
Once Viktor and Fleur had some privacy she smiled at him and he sat on a desk, "Are you sure you still want me to come?"
"I think that we will have fun," she nodded. Viktor nodded in agreement with her. The conversation they'd had after Hermione's little chat with Fleur had been interesting.
-Flashback-
Viktor found himself sitting next to Fleur after Harry and Hermione headed back up to the castle. "You seemed to have quite a talk," he said.
"We did," Fleur said. "Viktor I think that we need to define our relationship. What are we?" That question surprised Viktor. Honestly he wasn't quite sure what to call it either. He blinked and Fleur continued, "When I was talking to Hermione she told me about how she and Harry became friends and it was quite obvious to me that not unlike me, Hermione struggled to trust people. But she trusted Harry because he was so…"
"Stubborn?" Viktor offered.
Fleur laughed, "No I would say sweet and gentle and just there for her when she needed someone."
Viktor nodded his understanding, "You need a friend not a lover."
Fleur was relieved he understood, "Hermione's my first real friend. And I've enjoyed having that relationship this year. I just…I've never had a male friend. I know Harry, certainly, but not as well as I know Hermione."
"If you want to just be friends I can understand that," Viktor nodded. "Trust is not something I do freely either and I'm certain your trust was violated far worse than mine was."
Fleur just nodded and Viktor pulled her into a hug. Fleur was used to hugs from Hermione, and even with Harry, so she didn't tense. He did what Hermione had done; he didn't ask. The gratitude Fleur felt in that moment was overwhelming. When they parted Viktor spoke softly, "I want to respect your privacy but the burden you carry would be understood by Hermione. She would not change her opinion of you."
Fleur offered up a small smile, "Thank you Viktor."
Viktor wasn't disappointed that Fleur wasn't his girlfriend. He had just wanted to make friends. Anything more, with Fleur at least, was going to take time. And Viktor was willing to wait.
-End Flashback-
In the following weeks they'd become closer but not to the level of Hermione and Fleur's relationship. And subsequent conversations told him that if he and Fleur were to be a couple, he needed to prove to be as good as Harry. Hermione and Harry's relationship had had a few bumps but all pertaining to her Veela status. His and Fleur's relationship was more like the unveiling of every scar on their souls. There were scars that hurt Fleur deeply that he knew she kept to herself. Still, he would ask himself what would Harry do and he knew that if Hermione was upset and didn't want to talk to Harry about it he'd tell her to at least talk to Fleur about it. So Viktor did the same.
Fleur squeezed his hand, "Are you mad at me?"
"Not if you talk to Hermione," he answered.
"I intend to," she nodded, "today. I think it's time I did."
"Good," he smiled and pulled her into another hug, "we should go find our mothers before they do something to Harry or Hermione."
Fleur spent some time with her friends and her mother and sister (who had been most disappointed to learn that Harry was taken already) before she pulled Hermione aside to talk, "Fleur? What's wrong?"
"I want to tell you somezing that I have nevair told anyone," Fleur's accent was starting to grow and Hermione took her up to the Room of Requirement. "I have to tell you now because I don't…I know that thees task ees dangerous and you have told me everything and eet ees time zat I did ze same."
Hermione sat on the beach she'd had the room turn into and let Fleur sit next to her on the blanket, "What is it?"
"When I was fifteen," Fleur said, taking a deep breath, "I was raped."
The only sound on the beach was of the waves lapping against the shore. Hermione pulled her friend into a hug, unsure of what else to do or even to say. "I had just come into my powers and they are not as strong as yours, or even my mother's," Fleur continued, "zere ees no excuse for what zhey did to me."
"They," Hermione repeated, "how many?"
"Eight men," she answered. "Zhey told me zat I deserved eet. Zat eet ees all zat Veela are good for," she leaned into Hermione's embrace. The feeling of support from Hermione was exactly what she needed. "Only four managed to... I wuz een shock but zhen I used my allure and gave a full blast. Zhey were all frozen. My clothing was reeped and my body bruised. My fazzer had zhem all castrated. Eet ees an old law on ze books," she explained when she saw Hermione's surprise, "Evair since I have not…with anyone."
"Oh Fleur," Hermione rubbed her back, "I am so sorry that you had to go through that."
"My muzzer turned eento a harpy for ze first time that I had ever seen when she found me." Fleur looked at her best friend, "I 'ave nevair told anyone else. Not even my leetle sister knows."
"I'm honored that you trust me enough to tell me, Fleur, but I'm so sorry for you."
"You did nozing to me to be sorry for 'Ermione. Ze bastards did and zhey are very sorry now even if eet ees for anuzzer reason," Fleur took a deep breath. She refused to cry about what had happened to her. She'd done enough of that afterwards and while she knew if she broke down and cried Hermione would comfort her she would never again weep for what had happened to her. It was time to move on, "Viktor knows that I hold back for some reason. And surely you suspect too; but I wanted to tell you the reason so that you understood why I have such struggles with men and especially with one that I…like."
The brunette nodded. "At least they all suffered. Your father sounds like he'd get along well with my dad. I'm really hoping I don't have to protect Harry from him."
Fleur smiled at the transition. That was another thing to like about Hermione. She could change the subject so smoothly you didn't always notice that she did it but she greatly appreciated the way Hermione did. "You could just turn into ze 'arpy to scare him. My muzzer made my attackers soil zhemselves."
Hermione smiled at that. Apolline looked so kind but she knew her own mother did too; cross her, though, and you would suffer. "Our parents will get along well." Fleur smiled and their conversation shifted to what would happen that summer and the task that afternoon.
Her confession to Hermione had Fleur feeling particularly strong. Hermione's presence had shown her that trusting people was possible and while Hermione hadn't said it, Fleur knew that Hermione would never tell Harry unless given permission. And to top it off Fleur had not experienced the revulsion, disgust, or the feeling that she was stupid for finding it hard to trust as a result of the attack. She felt confident as she stood in the tent with Viktor who she hugged and thanked. He was surprised at the offered hug but accepted it. Fleur had a smile on her face and that was all that mattered.
"Are you ready?" He asked, not wanting to ask anything more personal.
"I am," she nodded. "You?"
"Harry threatened to do weird things with my corpse if I died," Viktor answered. Raised eyebrows from Cedric and Fleur had him explaining, "He wants to turn me into a coat rack, a lamp, a practice dummy, a Halloween decoration…" The other two burst into laughter at the list, "I looked to Hermione for help and she suggested a gargoyle."
"Sounds like you better live then," Cedric chuckled.
"I do not want to be a coat rack," Viktor nodded.
"You would not be a good looking coat rack. And not useful either," Fleur said, "your nose is too small." Viktor smiled at her and she winked at him.
Draco sat in the corner of the tent working on how best to torture the other three. He'd have to catch them unawares. His father had not come that day. According to his godfather his father and mother had other things to do that day. Something about the pregnancy. He hadn't paid attention; he loathed that his parents were having another child so he went out of his way to ignore anything mentioned about it (in so doing he missed that his father had written that they were having twins).
Harry and Hermione sat in the family box with Viktor's family and Fleur's mother and sister; her father hadn't been able to attend due to work. Something Apolline promised Claude would not be doing for their visit. Harry's statement that he'd never been on vacation before had Gabrielle telling him about the things that they could do while Apolline gently dissuaded her daughter from taking control of summer plans. This was helped by Harry saying that Hermione had got him tickets to see a professional quidditch game with her father.
Harry and Hermione held hands as the champions were escorted out of the tent. Harry felt Hermione lean against him and his arm wrapped around her automatically. "You okay?"
"Just nervous," she said. "I don't want anything bad to happen to Fleur."
"Viktor won't let it," Harry said. "Do you think Draco will make it out alive?"
"Well Ron's not here to muck it up so anything's possible." Harry smirked. Ron and Draco, before Ron's expulsion, had fought with each other like a snake and a mongoose. Ginny had pointed out that without Harry and Hermione there to temper Ron's anger and keep him in line Ron was like a cannon with a short fuse and more than happy to explode at any moment. He'd got more detentions in the months that he'd returned to Hogwarts than the twins got in a year.
Ludo Bagman took up the sonorous charm and began to explain the event to the gathered students. "Today the task is simple. Enter the maze and get to the trophy inside. The person who claims the trophy wins the competition. The points standings mean that Miss Delacour and Mr. Krum, from Beauxbatons and Durmstrang respectively," there was cheering for the pair throughout the stadium, "will enter at the same time. Mr. Diggory…"
"THAT'S MY SON!"
Ludo seemed surprised at the yelled declaration before speaking, "Yes Mr. Diggory will enter fifteen minutes after they do. And that means our fourth champion Mr. Malfoy will enter forty-five minutes after him." In reality with the points differences it should have been several hours but the organizers all agreed that there was no way Draco would get the trophy at that point. They still weren't sure that the hour difference between when Fleur and Viktor entered and when Draco did would mean that he would even get to enter the maze.
"Now then Mr. Krum, Miss Delacour, you may begin…NOW!" Fleur and Viktor entered the maze and, unseen by everyone, simply sat down and waited.
"Have all the tasks been the audience staring at nothing?" Mira asked.
"The second task was too," Harry said. "The first task was a dragon so that one there was at least something to watch even if it was outrageous to pit teenagers against dragons." Hermione nodded her agreement with her lover's words. "Although Draco-Pong was fun to watch." Hermione rolled her eyes and Harry gave her a cheeky grin. "Hey, it worked out well for us."
"True but when I was watching it at the time I kept thinking that we were about to watch someone die. It was only truly funny once Draco was discovered to still be alive."
"You're too nice Hermione," Harry said, kissing her forehead.
"You love that aspect of me and you know it."
Harry smiled, "I do. If it weren't for your natural tendency to be nice my glasses would have been broken still when we got to Hogwarts first year. You fixed them for me just because they were broken." She smiled at her boyfriend and shifted to sit in his lap, "Just to be clear I would love to go back in time and kick eleven year-old Harry's arse for letting Ron pick on you."
"Some things can't be changed Harry, even with magic," she said. "But know that I love you and don't hold it against you. You had found a friend and didn't want to lose him. I understand that. I'd have done anything to not lose your friendship."
"And now?"
"Now we know each other better and where we both stand. I can feel your emotional flare-ups and you can, without even looking at me, know when I'm upset. We know what we want out of our relationship and we both enjoy the perks of me being Veela." Sitting in his lap she felt Harry twitch when she finished speaking and smiled.
A magical bang was heard and Cedric entered the maze to see Fleur and Viktor waiting. They stood and, wands drawn, walked on together. The first creature they came across was a boggart. But seeing three champions the boggart wasn't sure who to taunt and before it could transform they had dispatched it and moved forward. They took the next right and came upon a troll. Fleur didn't feel like hurting the troll. So she released an allure blast that easily gave her power over it. "Please let us pass," she said. The troll moved out of the way and she let both boys go first before she followed, "Thank you sir," she said to the troll who bowed so far forward he fell on his face.
"Here's hoping all the creatures are male," Cedric smirked.
"Just for that you take ze next creature," Fleur said, raising an eyebrow in challenge. Viktor nodded his agreement. Cedric's smirk vanished.
The vanishing smirk became a frown when they stumbled on a Chimaera, "Who puts a Chimaera in a maze for teenagers?" Cedric asked.
"The same people who made the audience stare at a still lake in February in Scotland," Viktor answered as they sized up the creature, "How do we get around it?"
The Chimaera gazed at them. Fleur thought to herself, 'What would Hermione do?' That question's answer immediately made itself apparent. "Eef this does not work, blame 'Ermione," Fleur told Viktor and Cedric, who looked at each other, confused. She cautiously approached the Chimaera and transformed into the harpy. Fleur didn't look like Hermione did when she transformed. Fleur was more harpy-like than actual harpy. "Let us pass," she said. The Chimaera let out a blast of fire and Fleur met it with a fireball, "I will not ask again," she said, letting two fireballs appear in her hands as the Chimaera gave her an appraising look. Without warning the beast leaped forward and Cedric and Viktor both cast a banishing spell at the same time, sending the Chimaera into the hedge it was standing in front of. With a roar the beat vanished from sight. Fleur changed back, "You could have done that sooner."
"Don't reckon I expected you to do that," Cedric said as they hurried on, this time going left.
The next few turns were dead ends but they regrouped each time and pressed on. They appeared in front of a sphinx and immediately all had a silent thank you for Hermione quizzing them with riddles over the past few weeks. "Three of you? Very well. You will have to answer more riddles. Three each." The Champions nodded and she began, "A natural state, I'm sought by all. Go without me, and you shall fall. You do me when you spend, and use me when you eat to no end. What am I?"
Viktor answered after a moment of though, "Balance."
The sphinx did not smile. In fact she looked annoyed, "Correct. Next one. We hurt without moving. We poison without touching. We bear the truth and the lies. We are not to be judged by our size. What are we?"
Fleur had much experience with this, "Words."
The sphinx frowned, "Under pressure is the only way I work, and by myself is the only way I'm hurt. What am I?"
They were silent until Cedric answered, "A diamond."
The sphinx snarled. Surely they could be tripped up. "First think of a person who lives in disguise, who deals in secrets and tells naught but lies. Next tell me what is always the last thing to mend, the middle of middle the end of the end? And finally give me a sound often heard during the search of a hard-to-find word. Now string them together and answer me this, which creature would you be unwilling to kiss?"
Fleur again answered, "Spider."
"I'm teary-eyed but never cry. Silver-tongued, but never lie. Double-winged, but never fly. Air-cooled, but never dry. What am I?"
"Mercury," Viktor answered without hesitation.
"What word is shorter when you add two letters to it?"
"Short," Cedric responded.
"What starts with the letter 't', is filled with 't' and ends in 't'?"
"A teapot," Cedric smiled.
"I can run but never walk. Wherever I go, thought are close behind me. What am I?"
"A nose," Viktor said.
"The last one then," the sphinx said, "Many have heard me, but nobody has seen me, and I will not speak back until spoken to. What am I?"
"An echo," Fleur answered. The sphinx begrudgingly let them pass, mumbling about humans being smarter than they look as they ran by. Fleur turned back, "I am Veela," she said proudly before turning back around and running ahead with Viktor and Cedric. Slightly mollified that at least one's intelligence could be put down to her being superior to the humans the sphinx gave a small smile. No doubt she had influenced the stupid humans with her.
P.S.- We all know of wizarding bigotry but we also know that goblins think very little of wizards and I would imagine that certain intelligent creatures would think poorly of humans. Especially a sphinx.