Sunset and Sunrise
A powerful energy buzzed through the air, screaming loudly in the near silence. Towering fir and pine trees creaked eerily in the strengthening wind, the spaces between their imposing forms shrouded in darkness deeper than a moonless night. The sky rumbled in the distance, its dark purple and nearly black clouds swirling together again and again, blocking out the lost beams of sunlight.
She stood alone, gazing out across a meadow of white and yellow flowers bowing like waves to the will of the breeze whipping across them. She shivered slightly, her bare arms circling tightly around her waist.
Despite the whistling wind and groaning trees, she was shrouded in absolute silence.
She watched as the sky darkened still, casting an unwelcome night upon the clearing. Wolves howled in the distance.
In the middle of the field there was a glimmer, something intangible. It grew and expanded, its undefined edges pulsing outwards, shedding a blinding silvery light across the desolate space.
She tried desperately to turn her eyes away from it, knowing instinctively that it was not something meant to be seen. Yet she was frozen in place, the strange force holding her in an unwavering grip. She felt, rather than saw, as it sucked itself inward into a small blazing ball, no larger than a snitch before exploding outward across the meadow at once. A supernova. She knew the moment it reached her—the force of its impact tearing through her. She felt as if every fiber of her being was ripped apart only to come crashing back together.
She felt the tears drawing long tracks down her face as she was consumed by the icy fire.
Images spun quickly through her mind, disappearing as quickly as they arrived. She saw flashes of curly black hair and silver eyes, of blinding smiles and fierce talons. She heard laughter, cackling through her mind, screams of agony, and a baby’s cry. She saw the world change and change again, as if she was being flung backwards through time. The images and sounds spun around and around, tearing through her mindscape.
She fell to her knees, her hands clutching desperately at her head as she tried to make sense of the familiar yet entirely foreign scenes.
All at once it stopped.
With a deep breath she opened her eyes. The clearing before her had been transformed by the silvery light. Five women stood in a line, their backs to her. The stood proudly, their heads held high. One by one, they began to move, an intricate dance unfolding before her. The crossed around and around until they found themselves moving in a circle. They picked up speed until they were indistinguishable from one another. As if in response to some unsaid cue, the scene suddenly transformed before her eyes. Spinning arms were replaced by long taloned limbs. Wings flung out from the women and feathers flew through the air. Suddenly, they stopped.
She took them in as they turned to face her, as though finally acknowledging her presence among them.
They were the strangest creatures she had ever seen. They were beautiful, yes, but cruelly powerful—wielding wings and feathers and talons. Their eyes shone, all but one pair sparkling gold against the silver light. The one in the middle took a step towards her, keeping their eyes locked, and then another.
She was frozen as the woman approached until she was close enough to grip her shoulder with a long taloned hand.
Then, surprisingly, she smiled. Not a cruel smile or even a smirk, but a genuinely kind tilt of the mouth.
A pleasantly familiar voice filled her head.
“You mustn’t hold onto this fear,” the voice said gently, “for it will be your downfall. Do not fear who you are and who you will be. The world of man is a harsh and cruel place. People will tell you who to be, will mold and shape you into who they want you to be, but you mustn’t let them. You must have faith and trust in who you are, in here.” The woman reached forward at the voice’s words, gently laying her other hand on the girl’s heart. “There will come a day,” the voice continued, “where you must embrace who you are, a day when you will be forced to choose between the known and the unknown. You will be forced to choose, little one, and within your choice will lie the balance.” The girl ached to speak, to ask what choice the voice meant and when she would have to make it, but no words came out. Sadness leaked into the eyes of the woman before her, “The time has not come, but it is near, little one. Have faith for you are not alone.”
She felt a burst of something warm and profoundly powerful settle into her chest as her knees buckled under the force. When she opened her eyes again, the light was gone and the forest had returned, the storm picking up force.
She turned her head frantically, looking for the women, but they were gone. Thick droplets of rain began to plummet from the sky, landing forcefully on the ground. Each one that hit her exposed head stung as if it were acid.
From the forest beside her, two figures emerged and walked into the clearing. They paused, five strides away from her, their heads bowed but their stance entirely too familiar.
Behind them, a snarling black beast emerged. Its head that of a wolf, its body, a bear. It prowled up behind the figures stalking closer. The girl tried to scream, to get their attention, but her vocal cords were silent despite her gaping mouth. The ran forward to get to them, quickly realizing her approach was matched by the beast. She would only be able to save one.
When she was within a yard, desperately trying to make her choice, the beast leaped forward.
Hermione awoke with a scream, startling her bunk mates with its ferocity. Her chest moved up and down furiously as she tried to catch her breath, beads of sweat pouring down her face.
After offering an apology to her sleeping classmates, Hermione quickly made her way out of the room and towards the washroom.
She turned on the faucet and splashed handful after handful of ice-cold water on her face. When she lifted her head to the mirror, she saw fear-filled dark orbs staring back at her.
Hermione took two deep breaths, steadying herself against the sink.
As she moved back towards the dorm, she paused by the window. The first rays of sunlight were just beginning to streak across Black Lake.
Knowing that she would not fall back asleep, Hermione made a split decision, spelling her cloak to her hands.
She tiptoed down the stairs, mindful of the creaky board in the common room, and slipped past the painting guarding the door.
Listening carefully for the prefects or Filtch, she made her way out of the castle and towards a hidden bench by the shore of the lake. She sat down heavily.
Small, rippling waves lapped against the shore as the first beams of sunlight gradually grew in their strength. Hermione tilted her head up towards them as they came towards her, painting their way across the sky.
She was observing the gentle waves of light as they slowly brought the cold stone walls of Hogwarts back to life, when she heard soft footsteps approaching.
She had barely made a move to stand when Fleur stepped out from around a bush.
Hermione let out a breath, reaching up to gently trace the two feathers that now sat securely around her neck. She had looked for Fleur, repeatedly, since she had run into Isabelle. But she had not seen the girl. There was a rumor floating around the castle that Madame Maxime had restricted all of the Beauxbatons students to their carriage after the events following the first task. Hermione had still been discouraged with her lack of luck in finding the girl.
Now, three days later, it seemed as if Fleur had found her instead.
The young Veela smiled shyly at Hermione, gently bowing her head.
“I’m…I’m sorry Hermione.” She said softly, “I didn’t realize you would be here. I’ve taken to coming out here to watch the sunrise. It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” She paused, looking out over the lake.
Hermione hummed her agreement.
“I can go,” Fleur continued after a moment.
She had already taken two steps backwards before Hermione interrupted, her voice gentle and calm, “There’s plenty of room here for two.”
Fleur paused, looking at Hermione skeptically. When she did not continue, Fleur moved slowly to sit next to her.
Once they were settled, they stared together as the world began to lighten around them. A small bird chirped, swirling through the sky, before flying right over to them, landing directly on Fleur’s head. It’s small blue head nodded as it gripped its talons around clumps of her long blonde hair. Once it was comfortable, it began to gently sing a morning song.
Fleur’s smile was brilliant as she sat perfectly still listening to its melody. As the morning light illuminated her face, Hermione thought to herself that she had never seen a more brilliant sight.
Slowly, Fleur reached her hand upwards and offered a finger to the small bird. It cocked its head and looked on skeptically for a moment before seeming to accept the offer and hoping on. Fleur gently brought her hand down to her leg where the bird hopped off again and turned to face the two girls. Hermione leaned in to see the bird better, her shoulder tucking tightly against Fleur’s side.
The small bird paused, chirped twice, and then quickly took off to continue his song over the lake.
Hermione watched it go. Feeling eyes on her, she slowly turned her head and found herself face to face with Fleur. As she was still tucked into Fleur’s side, they were impossibly close and Hermione could feel the Veela’s gentle breath ghosting over her face. She watched as Fleur’s eyes flickered down to her lips before bouncing back as if she was afraid to have been caught. Hermione only smiled in response, rolling her eyes before turning her head back to the lake and tucking herself further into the Veela’s side.
Fleur seemed startled for a minute before shifting her weight and moving her arm to wrap around Hermione’s shoulder, blocking her from the chill of the gentle breeze blowing behind them.
“Do you ever wonder,” Hermione asked, breaking the silence, “what all this must have looked like thousands of years ago? Before there were castles and witches and wizards?”
Fleur took a moment before responding, “I imagine it must have been beautiful. A place free from the greed of men where the world was open and magic had free roam.”
Hermione didn’t respond, letting Fleur’s words hang in the air between them.
“I am sorry Hermione,” Fleur said suddenly, so softly Hermione almost thought she imagined it, “I didn’t mean to spring what I said on you, I didn’t mean to startle you and scare you away.”
Hermione sat up, pulling away from Fleur to both their disappointment and moved to face the Veela, giving her undivided attention.
“I guess I still don’t understand why you said that,” Hermione said, hesitant to break their careful spell, “Why would you imply that I am your mate?”
Fleur paused for a moment, taking a deep breath, “I realize it was sudden and a horribly abrupt way to tell you. Don’t worry, my grand-mere and,” Fleur paused, as if second guessing herself, “and others,” she continued, “already berated me enough for it. It is just, the feelings, I’m not even sure how to describe them. It is like when you are around, everything is calm, happy, at ease. When you are not around, something is missing, I feel my thrall calling out, lashing out. It only really calms when I’m back in your presence. I realize it’s a lot,” she bowed her head, “and I don’t expect you to reciprocate what I’m feeling. I was just so lost in the feeling, in the excitement and knowledge that I had found you, that I appear to have lost all tact with delivering the news. I seem to do that a lot around you, I mean look at me now, babbling away.” Fleur chuckled wetly.
A small smile graced Hermione’s lips seeing the intimidating and strong Veela turn so soft before her.
Fleur continued before she could fully come up with a response, her voice steadying, “I don’t expect anything from you Hermione. But, if you would have me, I would appreciate the opportunity to get to know you better and then, maybe one day, I could try to court you.”
“Did your grandmother tell you to say that?” Hermione giggled.
Fleur scoffed, bristling under Hermione’s amusement.
“No!” She exclaimed.
Hermione gave her a pointed look and the Veela instantly deflated.
“Want to try again?” Hermione smiled, raising an eyebrow.
“Alright, fine. Oui. Yes. She said that once Veela’s find their mate they are meant to befriend and court them first, get to know them well before telling their mate of their feelings.” Fleur sighed dejectedly.
“Alright.” Hermione said. “What’s your favorite color?”
Fleur’s head snapped to Hermione, she looked incredulously at her. “What?”
“Well,” Hermione drawled, “If you’re to get to know me, then I’d like to know you as well.”
“Violet.” Fleur said before asking Hermione, “Do you prefer sunset or sunrise?”
They went back and forth until the sun was fully in the sky and the light layer of frost on the ground had long since melted.
They likely would have continued through the entire day had the Draco not appeared from out of nowhere, pulling Hermione up by her coat and dragging her away from Fleur, back towards class.
Hermione sighed as she watched Fleur smirk and wave towards her.
“Stop pouting,” Draco’s voice pulled her back to the present, “I saved you.”
Hermione looked at him curiously.
“Oh don’t give me that, you know my mother would have had your head if you missed her class again.” He smirked and, as her eyes rapidly expanded, began to laugh. “Come on, we can still make it.”
He picked up his pace, quickly pulling Hermione back into the castle and towards the dungeons.
When they arrived, barely five minutes late, they froze at the door. At the front of the classroom stood Mad-eye Moody.
He glared at them, motioning for Hermione and Draco to take their seats.
“Now as I was saying,” he ground out, his voice scratchy, “Professor Black is indisposed. Until she is able to resume her post, Professor Snape will be instructing potions.”
The black-haired man emerged from the shadows in the back of the room. Quickly shaking Moody’s hand, he began to drone out about how the class would run in Professor Black’s absence.
Hermione cast a glance at Draco, finding his eyes already locked onto her. He shook his head slowly.
Hermione took a deep breath, steeling herself. One thing was certain: Narcissa Black was nowhere to be seen.