Part 3

So Hermione packed her things from the tiny apartment she had bought after the war and apparated in France. They welcomed her with honors at the Ministry of Magic, like everywhere she had appeared in the magical world. She didn't have the strength to deal with fame, so she politely left the atrium and met Harry's friend who worked in the magical creatures regulation department and gave her directions to the Veelas reserve. Fortunately, the apparition didn't take long, because Hermione was already on the verge of exhaustion. That's how Gabrielle Delacour found her, leaning heavily against a tree at the entrance to the reserve. She looked at her with concern, took her by the arm and led her deep into the forest. Young Gryffindor woke up the next morning in a comfortable bed. Her room was spacious and sunny. And someone was sitting in an armchair in the corner. "Hermione Granger." Said a blonde woman who looked like a model and could only be Fleur's mother, so striking was their resemblance. "Madame Delacour." Hermione nodded, not knowing what to expect. "Call me Apolline." The woman said shortly, approaching her and sitting on the bed. The brunette felt herself blushing under the blonde's intense gaze. "I owe you an apology. For Fleur's behavior. What she's doing to you is unforgivable." Hermione raised her eyebrows. "You know?" "Of course. Every Veela feels when her sister finds a soulmate. I knew right away that Fleur had found hers. I sensed a connection in your magic to her magical core." "How do I break it?" Hermione asked quietly. "I can't live like this." "I understand. Unfortunately, we can't break the bond. We can teach you to live with it, so you can lead a normal life... until my daughter sobers up." "Fleur is happy with her life, especially now that she has the child she longs for." Hermione mumbled, Apolline gasped. "Fleur gave birth to a child?" "Yes. My daughter. Victoire." Hermione said bitterly.

"How could she not introduce her to the clan?! That's a huge insult!" Apolline stood quickly, pacing the room. "She can't take your child away from you! This has all gone too far! She has strengthened your bond even though she is denying it to you! That's why you feel worse and worse. You have begun the bonding process."

"What about her?" Hermione whispered.

"If she refuses the bond any longer, her Veela will go mad." Apolline replied, taking a deep breath. "I don't know how to get through to her. She's determined not to live like us. She's rejected her heritage since childhood. She didn't want to be treated any differently, especially when she decided to move to the UK."

"Why did she move?"

"Because she couldn't be away from you for long. She can deny her nature all she wants, but eventually she has to give up."

"I don't understand... why she doesn't accept me. She calls me pathetic... maybe that's what I am..." Hermione rubbed her tearful eyes, understanding Fleur's motives less and less. "I know my child. She chose William because he was weaker than her, he let himself be controlled. She's afraid of you. She's afraid of what you could give her. Now it'll be a little easier for her if she has your child with her. We have to take care of you, my dear." It turned out that the Delacours lived in a palace, in the middle of the reserve, the rest of the community occupied various dwellings, from huts to tree houses, or in ordinary brick houses. None were as grand as the leaders' residence. Soon Hermione met the rest of Fleur's family. Her father Armand was a very calm and empathetic man. He hugged Hermione, apologizing for his daughter. Gabrielle had grown into a teenager since Hermione had last seen her during the Weasleys' wedding. The girls quickly established a bond and Gabby showed Hermione around the village, talking animatedly about her school life and her duties within the clan. Hermione had spent a few days with a healer who had used ancient spells and druidic circles to stabilize her magical core, and the brunette had immediately felt better. Being out in nature had also helped. "She can't take your child away from you! This has all gone too far! She has strengthened your bond even though she is denying it to you! That's why you feel worse and worse. You have begun the bonding process." The veelas had proven to be very friendly. Perhaps too much so, as several of them had flirted with Hermione shamelessly.

"You have to watch out for our sisters. Many of them think you're a great catch and don't really care that you already have a soulmate." Apolline noticed over dinner, as the four of them sat at the table. "I thought I was marked somehow." Hermione shrugged, blushing. "No, because my stupid sister didn't mark you." Gabrielle said, stabbing her fork into the meat with a bit more force than she should have. "Gabby." Apolline admonished her daughter. "What? She left us for some guy! She rejected Hermione when at least half of our sisters would have wanted to be with her! Her magic is so appealing that if it weren't for Fleur, I would have marked her myself!" The teenager burst out, and Hermione's cheeks turned a darker shade of red. "Gabrielle, enough!" Armand thundered. The blonde huffed, put her plate down and stood up abruptly, leaving the table. "Forgive her. She took the separation with Fleur very hard. They were very close since childhood. Veela are very family-oriented. There are no stronger bonds among us. Apart from soulmates." Apolline noticed, putting down her fork. "I understand." Hermione confirmed quietly, suddenly losing her appetite. Despite everyone's assurances of how great a catch she was, after so many years of being rejected by Fleur, she felt like worthless waste. "I'd better go to my room." She mumbled, getting up from the table. "If..." Apolline began, but hesitated when she saw her husband's look. "If it brings you relief and that's your wish... we won't stand in your way if you wanted company..." "Company?" The brunette didn't understand, but after a moment, seeing Apolline's meaningful look, she understood. "Oh... I'll remember that. Thank you for dinner." As Hermione climbed into bed, she was glad that she hadn't come off even more pathetic if she had answered Apolline's proposal with what she had first thought: that no company could replace Fleur.