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Hermione checks her watch again. It’s two in the morning. She paces the makeshift infirmary of the safe house. She’s already double, triple checked the stock of her healing supplies and potions.
The locket hidden under her shirt weighs heavy against her chest. The owner of which is currently 4 hours late from returning from her reconnaissance mission.
Suddenly with a pop of apparition, all 3 members of the team return. Charlie and Ron are standing in the middle of the room, supporting an unconscious Fleur between each other.
Gulping down her initial panic, Hermione quickly throws up her Occlumency walls and steps into healer mode. She rushes to direct them to place her on the cot in the corner.
“Ron, what happened?”
“She was hit with some kind of new spell. I thought it was a petrificus at first, but she fell just as quickly as she was stunned.”
“How long has it been?”
“About 10 minutes. They threw up an anti-apparition ward. It took us that long to get clear of it.”
Though still breathing, Fleur is frigid to the touch. Hermione runs a diagnostic spell which shows Fleur’s nervous system is in hyperdrive.
Hermione administers a calming draught and she places her hands on Fleur’s heart. She pushes her magic into her, trying to pinpoint the epicenter of the curse, and follows it to the base of her neck.
The curse is strong, dark, and persistent. Hermione can feel it fighting against her magic. She murmurs spell after spell to attack it from all sides. Just when she’s thought she’s got it, the curse starts leeching its way out of Fleur and into Hermione through her points of contact.
The locket flashes and she feels electricity flow through her fingertips to where the curse is centered.
With this, she feels the locket grow warm. The curse is gone, Hermione drops her walls, breathes a sigh of relief, and breaks into tears.
She feels the warm hugs from Ron and Charlie and she half coherently reassures them that Fleur is now out of danger.
After a couple minutes, when Hermione’s sobs have turned into quiet streams of tears, Fleur finally wakes up. She sees Hermione and a smile spreads across her face.
“Hello ma Cherie.” Fleur says while cupping Hermione’s tear streaked face. Hermione leans into her touch.
“Don’t you ever do that to me again. You’re going to kill me from stress.” Hermione says.
“I knew my little lioness would save me” Fleur says, her voice rough and weak.
“Your locket saved us both. It felt the curse coming to attack me and neutralized it.” Hermione takes out the locket and examines it. “I need to figure out how this old Veela magic works. This is the second time it’s helped me.”
Fleur, half asleep again, runs her hands in Hermione’s hair and nuzzles into the crook of her neck.
“Ma maman simply told me it was to protect the person I give my heart to. But, if anyone can harness old Veela magic, it would be you.” Fleur scratches Hermione’s scalp in the way that always makes her melt. “Now can you come up here? I almost died and require the medicine of your arms around me.”
Hermione chuckles and climbs into the cot with her wife and they both drift asleep.