As I apparated to the Shell Cottage, I faced an important dilemma. Whether I should inform Fleur about my arrival… or I should let her think that I would arrive later.
The latter was the better idea, I thought after a bit of consideration, curious how a sexually liberated Fleur would act, especially after Hermione's unwilling insults. I was too curious about how she would react. And, curiosity wasn't the only reason I was making that decision.
I could always reveal myself later on if Fleur didn't act as vindictive as I expected… but I was betting on her veela fire. Just to make sure she acted as I expected, I decided to send her a letter, telling her that I would be late due to a small emergency… I even put a compulsion charm to make her believe that.
She was too familiar with my invisibility cloak tricks to believe my absence. Writing the letter and arranging the owl took a bit of time. I could have rushed inside when I arrived, but instead, I waited for Hermione's arrival - who, unlike Fleur, already knew about my 'late' arrival.
I had some follow-up communication with her, confirming that
A crack reached my ears, alerting me of her arrival. I turned, and saw Hermione as she looked toward the entrance, a worried expression on her beautiful face. I examined her trembling lips for a moment before my gaze dipped down, to see what she was wearing.
Unfortunately, she was only wearing only a boring robe. Worse, the front was open, showing that she only had jeans and a boring blouse under it. Hardly something I expected from her after all the education she had received.
I expected her to be a better student. Clearly, she needed a refresher.
I stayed silent as I followed her from behind, a smile blooming on my face as I watched her hips dance, which showed that, some lessons, she learned very well.
"Fleur, I'm here. May I come in?" Hermione asked as she knocked on the door, her tone uncharacteristically hesitant. No answer came from inside, but the door opened, inviting Hermione in. Hermione walked until she arrived at the living room… and froze the moment.
Her reaction was understandable. Fleur was resting on the couch, with a glass of wine in her left hand, and a book with a naughty cover on her right. Her outfit was more interesting. She was dressed in home casual.
Or at least, a version of it that could be technically still classified as such… but if she walked to a strip club like that, she would still get the most tips.
She was wearing yoga shorts and a spaghetti-strap loose shirt. Her shorts were tight enough to look painted, and, considering the way they were stretching, probably a size or two too small. And, it was tight enough, and slightly transparent, leaving no doubt about the absence of her panties; but she kept her legs crossed strategically to maintain a sense of subtle seduction.
Her spaghetti-strap top was even worse. It was as loose as her shorts were tight. Technically, it could be classified as modest if her top was perfectly fixed, but it was too loose to stay in place even when she was not moving, giving a naughty cleavage, one that showed her panties weren't the only underwear she was missing.
However, neither her deceptively sexy outfit nor her sexy lazing pose had the biggest impact on Hermione. No, that honor went to Fleur's allure, radiating off her to a suffocating degree, hitting Hermione hard.
"H-hi, Fleur," Hermione stammered as she looked at her, a slightly glassy look on her face already. In that aspect, the allure was an excellent feature. If it managed to take hold, the victim stopped registering its presence.
Hermione didn't even notice the impact as she shifted her position as if she was trying to cover up, even pulling her robe tight. Which hardly helped when it came to her outfit.
Still, I was pleasantly surprised by Fleur's success. Hermione wasn't exactly weak-minded, and even with the constant distractions she was suffering, it wasn't easy to pull one over her - not everyone had the Elder Wand to cast stupidly overpowered spells around.
Yet, it took Hermione a few seconds to get her bearings. "Hi, Hermione, take a seat," Fleur said, gesturing to the seat next to her while she put her book down. Hermione's gaze predictably locked to the cover, only to blush as she saw the half-naked people on the cover.
Three of them, to be exact. Two women, one brunette and one blonde, standing next to a blond man, all half-naked. A nice bit of subliminal messaging, leaving Hermione to blush.
"Thanks for not commenting on the way I dress," Fleur said, and Hermoine's blush got thicker. Fleur smirked teasingly. "Most witches are so judgmental about wearing muggle clothes."
"Y-yes, muggle clothes," Hermione growled as she finally managed to turn back, whispering in a way she thought Fleur wouldn't hear. "That's the problem with those, and nothing else."
Fleur's flash of vindictive fury showed that she was able to hear that very well. Hermione sat down, looking anywhere but Fleur, therefore missing her expression. Hermione didn't say anything for a while, but Fleur was happy letting that silence stretch, not willing to give Hermione even the slightest opening.
"Bill is not here?" Hermione finally asked.
"No, he's in Egypt, some kind of important dig," Fleur answered. Hermione tried to ask a few follow-up questions, happy to find a safe area that would start the discussion… but Fleur squished her every attempt with single-word answers, leaving Hermione tethering.
Hermione tried another direction, and brought the discussion to war. That discussion, Fleur responded, but she skillfully threw the discussion to a different point whenever Hermione tried to bring it to spies and information gathering.
Admittedly, I was having trouble understanding exactly what Fleur was trying to do. I wanted to interrupt, but my trust in her convinced me to do otherwise. It wasn't like I couldn't trust her, especially when the failure meant losing just a few minutes. The worst, I would 'arrive' early and start the fun.
"… maybe we should be trying to reach some of the young death eaters. They are my classmates, and I know not all of them are happy with the atrocities," Hermione finally tried to breach after several indirect attempts.
Fleur cut it off. "I wouldn't trust any of them, impossible," Fleur immediately responded. "Once a death eater, always a death eater." It cut Hermione's arguments halfway in, far harder than she expected.
Fleur clearly didn't want to make Hermione's job easy.
"W-why," Hermione stammered, shocked by Fleur's vehemence. "Don't you believe that people can change? Dumbledore always said that-"
Fleur scoffed, cutting her explanation. "Yes, let's use the man who had been assassinated by the Death Eater spy he thought he had rehabilitated, excellent example," Fleur said.
Hermione flushed, realizing her mistake. Usually, she was a much better debater, but the way Fleur looked, combined with the impact of her allure, was robbing Hermione of her usual clarity of mind very successfully.
"S-Snape was an awful old man set in his ways," Hermione answered, ignoring the fact that he had been young when he was converted. Pity that Hermione was actually making a nice point, but Dumbledore's last ridiculous sacrifice concealed it.
"And the others, raised to that lifestyle is not?" Fleur countered. "At least, Snape was a halfblood. Do you think a pureblood would stop supporting them when they are at the height of their movement?"
Hermione froze, realizing that her mission was about to fail. She looked around helplessly as she tried to decide what to do, but her ponderings didn't help her. "Don't tell me there's no way you'll believe someone changing their mind," Hermione begged her.
Fleur gave out a sharp smirk, one that told me that she was about to reveal the point of stretching their discussion that long. "I'm French, and our history shows there's only one reason that men could be trusted to change sides during the war."
"What's that?" Hermione said.
Fleur smirked. "Of course, love," she declared as she leaned forward in her seat, her allure getting even stronger. And the sudden depth of her cleavage didn't help Hermione to keep her wits in place. "Only love could convert someone to our side," Fleur said.
"S-so, you're saying that… if this spy was in love with me… you'll change your mind?" Hermione said.
Fleur jumped in. "Oh, you're saying that there's already a spy involved. I thought that we were just talking randomly."
"I…" Hermione stammered. "No, I have a contact… and we need your help to make sure we can pass the information he provides easily. My mission makes it difficult," she added, her explanation getting faster.
"Interesting," Fleur said. "So, you're saying that you have a high-ranking spy." Her smile widened. "And, since you revealed him to me, you're confident that I'll support him. Meaning…"
"Yes," Hermione stammered. "We are… in love."
"Fascinating," Fleur smiled. "I thought that you were with Ron." Hermione blushed, but Fleur continued without letting her answer. "Eh, you're young, that happens," Fleur added, acting normal.
"T-thank you," Hermione answered, relaxing. A big mistake, as I could see Fleur preparing to deliver her big strike.
"All that remains is to call him here, and prove me that you're truly in love," Fleur said. Hermione looked at her, shocked. Fleur just smirked.
"Oh, sweetie, you can't expect me to believe you and risk myself without any evidence of your love…"