Chapter 26: The Garden Incident
DISCLAIMER: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER. IT BELONGS TO JK ROWLING.
A/N: Read, enjoy, and remember not to take either life or my writing too seriously.
As Harry Potter and Hermione Granger sat together beside the fountain, they remained completely absorbed in each other.
Their kiss deepened slowly, both of them lost in the quiet magic of the moment.
They barely noticed the footsteps approaching along the path.
The approaching couple consisted of Fleur Delacour and Roger Davies.
Fleur had grown increasingly irritated with her date during the evening. Roger was handsome enough, but his attempts at conversation had consisted mostly of staring at her while missing his mouth with his fork.
When Fleur noticed the dark-haired boy sitting beside the fountain, she paused.
That hair… that must be Harry Potter, she realized.
Her eyes gleamed.
The Boy-Who-Lived.
Cedric had mentioned earlier that Harry had once slain a basilisk. That alone suggested considerable magical ability.
Fleur's thoughts quickly turned calculating.
If he is that powerful, he would make an excellent conquest.
Her lips curved into a confident smile.
Tonight I will make him mine.
She stepped forward and spoke.
"Excuse me… are you 'Arry Potter?"
Neither Harry nor Hermione reacted.
Fleur's expression darkened.
How dare they ignore me.
She stepped closer and tapped Harry lightly on the shoulder.
"'Arry Potter?"
Harry broke the kiss and turned to see who had interrupted them.
For a brief moment he recognized the silver-haired witch as the Beauxbatons champion.
Then Fleur unleashed her Veela allure.
The effect struck Harry immediately.
A pleasant floating sensation washed over him.
His thoughts blurred.
The blonde woman before him suddenly seemed radiant—perfect.
A voice whispered inside his mind.
Kiss her.
Please her.
She is everything you desire.
Harry rose slowly from the bench and stepped toward Fleur.
But after two steps another voice broke through the haze.
It was stronger.
Clearer.
Hermione.
You love Hermione.
The word burst from Harry's lips.
"HERMIONE!"
Instantly the fog vanished.
Harry stumbled backward, his mind suddenly clear again.
Hermione's Fury
Hermione had watched everything unfold in shock.
At first she had been confused when Fleur interrupted them.
Then she saw Harry rise and walk toward the Veela.
For one terrible moment she felt her heart shatter.
Then Harry shouted her name and stepped back.
Hermione's mind clicked instantly into place.
She glanced toward Roger Davies.
He was drooling.
Recognition flashed in her eyes.
Veela magic.
Anger exploded through her.
Hermione drew her wand and pointed it directly at Fleur.
"Get away from my boyfriend," she said coldly.
Fleur tossed her silvery hair arrogantly.
"You think he prefers a little girl like you over a woman like me?"
Harry had moved quickly to Hermione's side, still trying to process what had happened.
Hermione's eyes blazed.
"Apparently he does," she snapped. "Because I don't need magic to make him want me."
Fleur's expression hardened.
"I am Veela. Every man wants me."
Hermione fired a spell.
"BANG!"
The brown light-struck Fleur directly in the face.
"There," Hermione said calmly. "Let's see how perfect you are now."
"What did you do?" Fleur demanded angrily.
Hermione tossed her a small mirror.
"Take a look."
Fleur glanced at her reflection.
Dozens of bright red pimples had erupted across her face.
"That is impossible!" Fleur shrieked. "Veela cannot get acne!"
"Apparently you can," Hermione replied sweetly.
"There are exactly eighty-seven of them," she added.
"If you attempt to remove them magically they will explode and leave permanent scars."
Fleur's rage intensified.
"You English witch!"
Her magical aura began to flare as she prepared to transform into her harpy-like Veela form.
Hermione reacted instantly.
"PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!"
Fleur froze solid and collapsed onto the path.
Hermione walked calmly toward the immobilized champion.
"You want to turn into a bird?" she said thoughtfully.
"I can help with that."
She raised her wand again.
"ACCIO CANARY CREAMS!"
Several packages of the Weasley twins' sweets flew toward her from various parts of the castle.
Hermione caught them neatly.
She crushed several of them together into a single sticky mass.
"You wanted wings," Hermione said.
She forced the mass into Fleur's mouth.
Another spell liquefied the sweets and forced them down her throat.
Hermione stepped back and released the body-bind.
Fleur staggered upright.
She tried to draw her wand.
Instead she saw yellow feathers covering her arms.
Her hands had become wings.
Her nose had become a small beak.
"TA-WEET!" she screeched.
Roger Davies suddenly looked hungry.
Very hungry.
Moments later Fleur—now a giant canary—fled across the garden while a growing crowd of hungry male students chased her.
Rita's Discovery
Nearby, Rita Skeeter had witnessed everything in her beetle Animagus form.
She buzzed away gleefully.
Tomorrow's newspaper will be incredible.
Unfortunately for Rita, her flight path carried her near a certain invisible cloud lingering beside the castle wall.
The smell struck instantly.
The beetle fell from the air.
Below, a large spider had built a web specifically for insects that mysteriously dropped from the sky.
Rita Skeeter landed directly in it.
The spider wrapped her neatly in silk.
Dinner would come later.
A Quiet Ending
Back in the garden Hermione turned toward Harry.
"Oh Harry…" she whispered, throwing her arms around him.
"You fought off Veela magic for me. How?"
Harry shook his head slowly.
"I heard a voice telling me to kiss her," he admitted.
"But then another voice shouted louder."
"Hermione."
"When I focused on you everything cleared."
Hermione hugged him tighter.
She knew what that meant.
Only genuine love could overcome Veela enchantment.
Her thoughts drifted toward the future.
Toward the possibility of a ring someday resting on her finger.
Someday, she thought.
They stood quietly together beside the fountain, listening to the water while holding each other.
Eventually they returned to Gryffindor Tower hand in hand.
After a gentle goodnight kiss they separated for their dormitories.
Both fell asleep that night remembering a perfect evening.
Meanwhile…
In his office, Albus Dumbledore prepared for bed.
Reports from the evening had arrived.
Fleur had been turned into a canary.
Krum had disappeared searching for a Crumple-Horned Snorkack.
And yet overall…
Dumbledore considered the night a success.
"The Greater Good remains secure," he murmured as he climbed into bed.
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