Affliction

7

As soon as Hermione (blushing over Fleur's breasts) managed to help the blond bandage her chest, they set off towards Dumbledore's office, speaking in hushed tones, but their conversation was relatively trivial. It was a pleasant thing, Hermione acknowledged, being able to speak with Fleur once more without yelling, fighting or being upset in any form.

As they trotted up the moving stairs, Hermione was so distracted by Fleur's recounting of the time Annabella had stepped on a baby dragon's tail, a baby the size of Fleur herself that her foot sank into the trick step once more.

"DAMN IT!" she screeched. She wasn't sure why that irritated her so much, but it did. Maybe it was just the pure pointlessness of the step that got to her, but she nearly spontaneously combusted in annoyance.

As for Fleur, well she was laughing heartily.

"Temper, temper," the blond grinned, crouching down to help Hermione out of the step.

Hermione rolled her eyes.

"It's not funny," she grumbled.

It seemed her foot was really stuck this time and as she braced against the step behind her, she couldn't seem to wrench it free.

This is retarded, Hermione thought angrily.

She turned bright crimson when Fleur, chuckling, wrapped her long, slender fingers around the brunette's bare calf and with a deft precision, gently twisted and pulled, easing the captured foot free.

"T-thanks," Hermione muttered.

Fleur's thrall had returned full force and seemed very happy that Hermione was once again on good terms with its owner. It swirled round the place where Fleur's fingers had touched her skin, electrifying the tingles racing up Hermione's thigh.

"No problem, ma belle," Fleur smiled softly, reaching a hand out to help the brunette up.

I need to stop wearing skirts, Hermione thought.

As she grasped the offered hand, her breath caught in her throat. Fleur's hand was so soft and warm and little bolts of lightning skimmed across Hermione's skin at the contact.

And as they stood, Fleur did not let go of Hermione's hand and it made the younger girl's heart pound against her ribcage. She contemplated whether she wanted her hand back, but decided no, actually enjoyed it.

Hermione had never held hands with someone. She discovered that she quite liked it. She liked the way Fleur's fingers laced through hers, her fingertips resting between the shorter girl's knuckles easily. It was a perfect fit.

But we are mates, after all, Hermione thought.

She saw Fleur hesitate, seeing whether or not the brunette would pull away. It brought a flutter of joy to Hermione's stomach when Fleur looked pleased at the continued contact.

So on they went, now holding hands.

"I...Fleur, what are we?" Hermione inquired slowly as they stood up and carefully began to walk back down the stairs, the brunette making a mental note to take a trip to the library to find a spell to fix that stupid trick step.

"What do you mean?" Fleur lilted, glancing at her companion.

"I we like...Dating now?" Hermione said, biting her lip.

She had no idea how they were to proceed from where they were now. The brunette was winging it, something that unnerved her deeply. She was a planner, a processer, a thinker. She didn't That's just now how Hermione worked.