Part 5

HERMIONE

She didn't even know how the year had passed. Time had blended into one. The reserve was quiet and she quickly felt part of the community. Every Veela already knew Hermione and she also got to know everyone. Her greatest joy was teaching children the basics of magic. When she learned the rules here, she knew that it only applied to this reserve. Gabby introduced her to the French ministry's policy towards Veelas and the brunette quickly understood that they were treated only slightly better than in England. The hierarchy was only in this community, no Veela could hold high social positions outside the reserve, they were not allowed to sit in the government. The only thing they could have was a representative who spoke only on matters concerning them. Hermione considered this very unfair, because most of these women were very intelligent, had bold and strong opinions and would have easily managed in the ministry. Since school, Hermione had considered Fleur to be one of the most intelligent people she knew. Fleur...

After all the sessions with the healer and even Fleur's grandmother, Cecile, who brewed special potions for her, the thought of the blue-eyed Veela had become muffled. They no longer made her heart break every time. She found comfort in the kindness of the Veelas, in Gabby, whom she had begun to treat like a younger sister, although she was rarely around now because of school. Among the Delacours, she felt like among the family she no longer had after sending her parents to Australia. She only regretted that she could not contact her friends, especially Harry. To contact the outside world, she would have to leave the reserve, and Cecile said she was not ready for that yet. Most of the Veelas taught classes on the reserve, doing handicrafts, which partly supported them. The Delacours lived off the small fortune left to them by Cecile's great-grandfather, and Armand, who had also been ostracized for his relationship with Apolline and dismissed from his position as head of magical law in France, now provided legal advice to halfbreeds, often pro bono. Hermione admired Fleur's family for their strength and unity in the face of such injustice. She was also beginning to understand why Fleur was denying her heritage. If her 'kind' were treated this way in their home country, it was much worse in England. She remembered how Lupin had been unable to find work because he was a werewolf, making him an outcast. Anyone who deviated from the norm was treated this way. Hermione, as a muggleborn, was treated this way too.

Hermione was learning the healing arts from Cecile. Eventually she would have to return to life and England, so she tried to use the time and learn new methods of healing and at the same time create potions that would prolong her life and alleviate the effects of the rejection of the bond. "Hermione, I would like you to meet someone. This is Aurelie, my student, just returned from school in Italy." Cecile announced proudly, introducing the brunette to a blonde Veela, probably the same age as the Englishwoman, with piercing green eyes that immediately reminded Hermione of the peaceful depths of the forest. Like every Veela woman, she was stunningly beautiful. "It's nice to meet you." Hermione smiled slightly, extending her hand. "Likewise. Granny talked a lot about you." The woman had a very melodic voice and a gentle handshake. "Granny?" Hermione raised her eyebrows.

"I forgot to add that Aurelie is my granddaughter, the daughter of Terese, Apolline's sister." "Oh... sorry, I didn't know Apolline has a sister." "She had a sister." Cecile corrected her, her gaze saddening. Seeing this, Aurelie explained. "My mother died a few years ago. We tried to push through the law for Veelas, not long after the Quidditch World Cup. We wanted to be able to work in public institutions." Aurelie sighed in resignation. "Anyway, my mother died during the protest. The Aurors pacified the crowd. A few more of our sisters died in addition to her before our side finally gave in." Hermione listened in amazement. "I'm so sorry. It's not fair that the Muggle world promotes equality, while the wizarding world still has castes and treats fully sentient, intelligent beings as something inferior." "Yes..." Aurelie confirmed.

"Let's get back to healing, something we can influence." Cecile pointed out. "I'd like you to work together. Hermione has experience with St. Mungo's and you, Aurelie, with the Italian academy. Maybe together you can find a cure for your situation..." The older Veela sighed and left them alone.

"Our situation?" Hermione asked, going back to grinding herbs with a mortar.

"Grandma told me that you also suffer from the rejection of the bond." "And you...?" Hermione looked uncertainly at the beautiful Veela. Who would want to reject her? "My soulmate is much older than me and has a well-ordered life. She is a muggle woman. She has a husband, a beautiful house and five almost adult children... When I met her we recognized the bond immediately, but she rejected me with ease. She wouldn't let me get close. And I respected her decision. Although the longing remained." Aurelie explained sadly.

"I never thought about the possibility that I might not meet my soulmate at a similar time in my life. I mean... it's sad that what separates you is basically time. Maybe under different circumstances you would have had a chance to be together." "Maybe." Aurelie shrugged. "I can only be grateful that she spared us both a heartbreak. I can't imagine going through what you're going through, feeling my heart break every day." "It's better now, every day, thanks to your grandmother's potions." "So let's work on freeing us both from our destiny." Aurelie squeezed Hermione's hand and they got to work. If Hermione had to describe her collaboration with Aurelie, she would call it stimulating. Over the course of a month, they conducted hundreds of tests, pondered for hours, often arguing about the best methods of different schools. Hermione could boldly say that it was hard not to like Aurelie, besides her insanely sharp mind, the woman was also empathetic, warm and gave a sense of comfort and security that Hermione lacked. "We should take a break." Aurelie noticed, pushing away the large druid book. "Do you want to go camping?"

"Camping?" The brunette laughed suddenly.

"What's so funny about that?" Aurelie mumbled and suddenly smiled herself. "Oh, I see, you're tired of camping after your adventures with Potter, right?" "Hmm.. I think we can go, provided you have a very comfortable tent, because after the last experience living with two boys and an old, broken bunk, without a bathtub, I don't want to experience it again." "A royal tent, right? And what if I told you that I was thinking about sleeping under the stars?" Aurelie's eyes lit up. "I haven't done this since Fleur and I were children." "Alright, let's do it." Young Gryffindor said as soon as she heard Fleur's name. Even though she wanted to forget about her, her heart still turned to her and doing something the blonde did as a child, she brought closer to the past she didn't know. "What was she like... as a child?" She asked quietly. Aurelie looked at her carefully and sighed. "She was a happy child. She liked spending time in the forest, our parents often had to look for us when we disappeared for days, wandering, climbing. Later, when we started school, Fleur changed. We both experienced a shock when we left the reserve. We were treated like the lower class, something dirty and unworthy. You know that Veelas can have wands, but only those made by us? Only those with Veelas hair." "I didn't know..." Hermione felt angry. "Fleur started to feel ashamed of her origins. She pulled away from me and pretended that nothing could get to her. Her friends only let her near them when she started to loudly express her disgust for the half-breed, i.e. her own heritage." Aurelie looked away, lost in thought. "Then we stopped talking altogether. When we went home, Fleur would rebel and spend whole days in her room, exchanging letters with so-called friends. Until her fourth year, when she left for England." "She seemed arrogant and conceited to me then. I honestly didn't like her at first, criticizing the castle and the food. And yet... despite this, I soon discovered that there was something more to her. She kept following me to the library, sitting next to me in advanced potions, and we started talking. She told me that I was her soulmate." "When Veela finds her mate, she wants to get closer as soon as possible." Aurelie nodded, listening carefully. "And then... then she kissed me... and everything changed. She started avoiding me. When she found out about my reputation at school, know-it-all bookworm, Muggleborn... when I had fallen in love with her..." Hermione swallowed back her tears. "Victor Krum asked me to the ball and I agreed because Fleur had chosen the most handsome boy in school as her date. I tried to talk to her but I couldn't because she always had some of her friends around, and they usually made fun of me, thinking I didn't know French. The worst part was that Fleur let them. The school year ended... Fleur disappeared. She didn't answer my letters, so I stopped writing. Two years later she came back, accompanied by Bill. The day they announced they were getting married was one of the worst days of my life. It was even worse after that." Hermione shook her head, suddenly feeling a warm hand grab hers and squeeze reasuringly. 'Fleur's lost her way. Sometimes it's hard to see the truth when you've been lying for so long. Some people don't know how to stop either.' They were silent for a moment. Aurelie was still holding her hand and the brunette involuntarily began to appreciate the touch of another person. It was nice to feel a friendly touch, to feel that she wasn't a leper. That there were people who wanted to be close to her. "When do we start camping?" "We can actually leave in an hour. I'll let grandma know we're going. I'll pack some things and food. See you at the trailhead, okay?" Aurelie said cheerfully. The brunette nodded and went back to Delacour's house to gather her things. The campsite was incredibly pleasant. The smell of the forest, the sounds of nature, drinking water from the stream and Aurelie's company put Hermione in a good mood. In the evening they sat by the campfire, warming up dinner. "You know we could heat this up in a minute with magic?" "Where's the fun in that?" Aurelie grinned like a small child. They fell silent for a moment, enjoying the smell of food and the peace of the moment. "Gabby told me you've been having nightmares. Was it hard? You know... with Harry, fighting Voldemort..." Aurelie asked cautiously. "Surely this was a task for older people... and us? Three teenagers... maybe Dumbledore chose us, after all you have to be reckless to do what we did." "I think it was incredibly brave." The blonde said with seriousness and undisguised admiration.

"It cost Harry the most. My nightmares were the result of my meeting with Lestrange..." Hermione mumbled, staring at the cheerfully crackling fire. "You know... I thought I'd never get out of there. That I'd die there on the dark parquet floor of the elegant Malfoy manor. I saw my blood merging with the boards, as if it was as dirty as the sludge they call it. My body was piercing with pain, and that crazy woman was lying on top of me, pinning me to the floor and asking the same questions over and over..."

Aurelie suddenly sat down next to her, wrapping her arm around her. Hermione let her, snuggling into her warmth.

"You're one of the bravest and wisest women I know. If you'll just let me break the bond between you and Fleur... it would be an honor to be with you."

Hermione froze.

"Aurelie, I... I don't know if I'm ready... we haven't even found a way to break the bond."

"I think I've discovered a magic connection that could suppress the bond enough for us to love again. Not completely like with a soulmate, but enough to live a happy life." Aurelie added calmly, not letting go of her. "I'm sorry I rushed things, Hermione... I just feel like I have to move on, and I would really like you to join me on this journey. I've never felt this kind of comfort and warmth with anyone." "I feel it too... this understanding..." Hermione said quietly. "But I'm afraid... I'm afraid you'll discover I'm not worthy and leave too." "I won't leave, Hermione. Because I see in you what you see in me." "What is it?" "A second chance." Aurelie smiled gently.

The next day, when they were supposed to continue towards the waterfalls, a patronus appeared before them. "Hermione, you have to go back to the Delacour house immediately. It's urgent!" The brunette looked concerned at Aurelie, who raised her eyebrows. "Looks like the trip's over. Are you afraid of heights?" She asked quickly, taking off her backpack and starting to undress. "No, what are you doing?" Hermione gasped when she saw Aurelie taking off the rest of her clothes and packing them naked into her backpack. "Don't be scared, I'm going to put on my Veela. We'll fly. It'll be faster that way." And she transformed into a large bird, embraced Hermione, who blushed and hid her head in the crook of her neck. Aurelie bounced off the ground hard and they flew. Compared to their all-day journey, the flight lasted several minutes, during which the young Gryffindor, feeling Aurelie's hard body beneath her, tried not to think every now and then that the woman carrying her in her arms was naked. Veela's proposal that they try to be together seemed plausible to Hermione. She liked the blonde, she liked spending time with her. And the thought of physical intimacy didn't disgust her. But now, seeing the Delacour house on the horizon, she abandoned those thoughts. They landed lightly on the terrace. Apolline immediately ran out to them, concerned, and Cecile, hot on her heels. "Thank the gods." Apolline said, casting a quick glance at Aurelie, naked and in human form, and turning to Hermione. "You have to go back to London immediately." "What happened?" Hermione asked, her heart in her hand. "It's about Victoire. She's in St. Mungo's Hospital. They don't want to treat her because she's part Veela. Only our magic can heal her, and only you will be allowed there!" Apolline spoke faster and faster. Hermione processed her words, feeling her heart stop. "Can't Fleur come back?" 

"Fleur has been detained by the Ministry of Magic!"

"WHAT!" Hermione shouted, feeling surge of panic. "And Bill?"

"It's all his fault! Fleur sent us a patronus to hurry up, because she was caught. I don't know the details. Hurry, please!" Hermione didn't wait for more. With her backpack on her back, Cecile escorted her to the border of the reserve. "Bring them here, please." Veela said, shaking Hermione's hand. The brunette nodded and apparated to the French Ministry, and then to London via Floo's net. At noon, she was standing in the hall of St. Mungo's Hospital.