Chapter Text
Ron smiled at her. His blue eyes bright with satisfaction as his messy red hair fell just that little bit into his eyes that she found adorable. The dress robes he wore were tailored to fit his tall, lanky frame. Sunlight glinted off his boyish smile as he clasped her hand warmly in his.
Her lips pulled into a smile that felt wrong on her face. The fuzzy, heavy feeling in her head persisted as her stomach revolted. Something was wrong but she couldn’t focus long enough to understand why.
A gentle breeze ruffled the ends of her dress. The smooth, crisp fabric made her skin itch. Her bushy hair had been tamed to a manageable updo that she didn’t remember doing. She didn’t remember anything beyond Ron’s hand in hers. Not even as she gazed out over her friends and family for her…wedding?
Hermione was getting married to Ron. At the Burrow. Why did it have to be here? Could no member of the Weasley family get married somewhere else?
The Ministry official smiled at her as he said something, but she couldn’t hear it over the ringing in her ears
Why was she getting married?
Where were her parents
Why couldn’t she think?
Ron squeezed her hand as brown eyes flickered back to him. He tilted his head down to indicate towards something.
She glanced down to see the Ministry official holding out the quill for her to sign the marriage certificate.
Ron’s unmistakable scratchy scrawl already filled the first blank on the parchment. His inelegant writing wrinkled her nose. She could see where his hand had blotted the ink in his rush to write his name. It should feel romantic that he was this excited to marry her, but it didn’t. Everything felt wrong.
Yet, against her wishes, her trembling fingers wrapped around the quill. Ron’s body heat felt oppressive next to her as he used his height to tower over her shoulder.
Did he think she would run away? Did she want to? The question made her teeth clench from sudden pain. It was like something was fighting to keep her in that moment. To not think beyond signing her name.
Ink dripped from the quill as Hermione’s hand remained frozen off to the side of the parchment.
Ron squeezed her hand for a second time. Harder than the first, but it made her hand move the quill into position.
Her brow drew into a frown as her hand moved in the same fluid motions she’d done a thousand times. Even though she could see the ink on the quill, her name refused to appear on the parchment.
Hermione finished the motion and just stared. Confusion and relief rolled through her like a tidal wave.
Neither emotion made any sense, but relief held stronger.
What happened??” Ron hissed as his blue eyes flashed in anger.
The Ministry official frowned.
“That’s…not good,” the man mumbled. His voice was pitched low so only they could hear him.
“Why isn’t her name appearing?” Ron growled.
Hermione flinched as Ron’s grip tightened her hand with more force. She could feel the bones in her hand grind together in discomfort.
“That only happens when someone is married,” the man explained. “Her name can’t be added to another certificate if she is already married.”
“She’s not married—”
“—I’m married?”
Ron and Hermione spoke over each other, but Ron’s words carried over the suddenly silent crowd. She didn’t look back but kept her gaze locked on the Ministry Official who was red-faced and confused.
“It appears so,” he mumbled as he glanced at Ron’s scowling face.
“Then it’s wrong. There is no way,” Ron said through gritted teeth. His words are softer but just as angry as before.
“A simple blood spell will show if she’s married or if the parchment is just spelled incorrectly,” the man rushed.
“No—”
“Please,” Hermione cut in as she put the quill down and held out her finger.
“Hermione,” Ron hissed.
“It’s fine, Ron,” Hermione said in an even tone. “It must be the parchment, as he suggested. We need to verify so we can get the right paperwork, right?”
Ron opened his mouth to argue but a quick glance to the side made his mouth shut. He forced a relieved smile onto his face that look strained.
“You’re right,” Ron agreed. “But that’s normal for you.”
The soft chuckle he gave sounded like nails on a chalkboard. Hermione nodded, her attention moving back to the official who looked pale and sweaty. He withdrew his wand with careful, slow movements as he pricked her finger.
Hermione watched with a detached feeling as blood welled at the tip of her index finger. She watched as it pool up before the bubble burst and slid down the side of her finger. The dark red liquid dripped down to splash across the crisp parchment.
It glowed a soft blue color as her name formed in perfect script. A dark red line reached out until it began to form a name.
She watched in stunned silence as another name wrapped with her own. The world spun. Her chest constricted. Brown eyes flashed up to meet the surprised look on the officials face. His mouth opened and lips formed words, but she heard none of it.
Her heart hammered in her chest like a drum.
Flashes of memory rolled through her mind with the force of a physical blow. Something cracked open inside her chest, and the world went black.
Ron let out a confused yelp as Hermione’s eyes rolled back. Her body slumped backward, his grip on her hand falling away as she did. Before he or anyone else could move, another figure appeared out of nowhere to scoop the unconscious Hermione into their arms.
Power and anger radiated from furious bright blue eyes. A swirling maelstrom of emotions pinged in those endless swirling depths. Pink lips crept back across sharp white teeth as a low, ominous growl ripped from the deepest depths of their soul.
Ron stepped back in stunned surprise. His jaw hung open as his eyes widened in terror.
The person holding Hermione was familiar and not the same. Darkness curled around strong shoulders that bunched from where they cradled Hermione against their chest. Pure white hair swirled in an unseen breeze as crystal blue eyes remained locked on Ron’s white face. Reddish purple skin rippled with a color as if something lit them from within. Their colored skin looked tough, like scales but with the shifting colors it was hard to tell. Long, black nails curled around Hermione like she was precious cargo. Deep black leathery wings extended outward blocking the view of the crowd.
“W-who are you?” Ron tried to yell but his voice cracked.
Endless blue looked at him like he was nothing.
“Put my wife down!”
He raised his wand with a shaky hand. Ron made to step forward when a cold, empty laugh burst from dark pink lips. The crowd moved back as the darkness pulsed with the laughter.
“Your wife?” The being mocked. “She isn’t your anything.”
“What are you?” Ron snapped. His face burned bright red though his lip quivered.
Ron shifted to the side to try and see his family beyond. He managed to catch his mum’s eye. Molly looked as terrified as Ron felt. Her skin had gone sickly pale. No one was coming to help him. Not when they all looked like they wanted to run and never come back.
Swear gathered on his upper lip. The temperature in the area had grown far faster than anyone had realized.
“I am here to take back what’s mine.”
Ron lunged for the creature but hit some kind of barrier.
“Put her down!” Ron roared as he beat his fists against the barrier.
“You can’t have her!” Harry’s booming voice seemed to shake the ground.
Another cruel laugh answered his yell. “Do you not understand what I am? Are you all so trapped in your heads that you can’t see the monster you created?”
It turned, blue eyes sweeping over the gathered crowd. A few startled gasps rose but they were ignored. Those blue eyes pinned Harry in place who had slumped into a chair in surprise.
“Fleur?”
The name carried through the crowd like a blade. It cut them all to the quick.
“This is the last time you will see me,” Fleur growled. “Here, today, I am reclaiming what you have stolen. When she wakes, I hope you all are far away. Death will come in the darkness. The same darkness you left me in. It will be your downfall.”