The Confectionary Chronicles || HP/SPN

Lollies and Loki- Ch44

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR:

Hermione and Fleur didn't fall asleep until long past midnight. They talked about many things together that night, about their dreams for the future, about their hopes, their fears, what they loved, what they disliked. They giggled, they snorted, Fleur actually hit her with a pillow at one point, which made them both laugh, and Hermione eventually fell asleep holding the hand of her first real friend that didn't come with an expiration date that had always lurked at the back of her mind.

They woke up late the next morning, unsurprisingly, and Fleur laughed at Hermione's half-hearted attempts to tame her hair without magic before she just gave up and used magic to half-way coax the chaotic curls into looping braids, adding her favourite bells. Then Fleur just looked impressed.

"That was wandless magic," she said, astounded.

"Loki taught me," Hermione admitted. "My hair is... sort of impossible."

"Yes..." Fleur's voice trailed off, and she looked thoughtful as they both dressed for the day, Hermione in one of the dresses Eris had given her– a cream-coloured toga-style dress with a pearly sheen that shimmered like moving waves– and Fleur in a lovely pastel yellow sundress that flared out at the waist, before they headed to the kitchen to get breakfast.

Hermione was delighted by the sweet and fluffy breakfast foods available– Loki would definitely have approved of a pancakes, pikelets and crepes, as well as the steaming scones, waffles, and crumpets, as well as an assortment of jams, honeys, butters, preserves, nutty spreads, syrups, fresh slices of fruit, and creams, all arranged on the centre bench, apparently left waiting for them. She had no shame in happily gorging herself on the sweet pastries as Fleur looked on, seeming impressed, and perhaps slightly inspired.

Afterwards, they went for a walk, at Fleur's prompting, out on the expansive grounds of the Delacour's property. Hermione wasn't at all surprised when the French girl started to ask her questions about Loki. She would have been more surprised if Fleur didn't have any questions at all– Loki was a god, after all. She spoke mostly about her prayers and offerings and her altar with its altar stones, which led on to a discussion about meeting Loki's children, as well as about some of her experiences with Loki over the years. Eventually, after a couple of hours, Fleur's questions subsided into a thoughtful silence and they returned to the house for lunch.

Apolline and Gabrielle joined them for lunch, after which Gabrielle convinced them to change out of their dresses and into (in Hermione's case a pair of borrowed) riding jodhpurs to join her in spending the afternoon horse riding. Or rather, Abraxan riding, as the Delacours had a stable of the rather impressive magical equines on their property, which Hermione had briefly seen the day before when Fleur had shown her around the property. 

The Abraxans were remarkably elegant creatures, considering their immense size. As horses closer to the size of elephants then regular equines, they had hooves the size of dinnerplates, brilliant palamino coats and magnificent high, arching feathered wings. The Delacours' Abraxans had coats varying in shade from the classic palamino newly-minted galleon colouring, to the darker sooty golds, with manes and tails ranging from thick, rich creams to pale, snowy whites that matched their wings, with gold laced through the barbs of the covert feathers.

Tiny, little, petite Gabrielle was a comical sight perched on the back of her Abraxan mare, Madeleine. Madeleine was clearly a gentle giant, however, and an absolute sweetheart as Gabrielle urged the mare to take to the clear blue skies.

"Hello handsome," Hermione greeted Fleur's Abraxan, a stunning stallion by the name of Beau, stroking the Abraxan's velvety nose as Beau bent his large, graceful head to nuzzle at her hands.