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Being friends with Harry Potter, son of "the boy who lived", was something of a mixed bag at the best of times. Just like his father, Harry had a habit of getting up to mischief and dragging his friends with him. Hermione wouldn't of changed any of it. She'd never admit it, but Lilly was something of a personal hero. To have abandoned her education to follow James on his quest to bring down Voldemort. Surviving torture by Bellatrix and to be brave enough not to hide the word carved into her arm. She wasn't sure she could have achieved the same, even if Lilly insisted Hermione was far more intelligent than she had been at the same age. Without Harry Potter she'd certainly not be in this situation.
After the battle of Hogwarts, Lilly had dragged the 'marauders', kicking and screaming, to complete their education alongside their peers at Beauxbatons. The damage to the castle had taken the better part of a year to undo. If he stopped to think about it, a Potter stop and think? James would have to admit he owed his career to Lilly. It had been at Beauxbatons that he'd been scouted and received an offer as reserve seeker for the Falmouth Falcons. James' victory in the final at Beauxbatons had rekindled a healthy competition between the schools that the disastrous Tri-wizard tournament had certainly quashed. Taking to professional Quidditch like a duck to water James had seen a storied career culminating with his current position as the Minister for Magical Sports and Games. Thanks to his ministry post and the fact his protégé was the seeker for Ireland's national team, James had secured tickets for Harry, his friends and their families to watch the world cup Finals.
That was 2 years ago. Last year, as a thank you for allowing them to see part of their daughters world. Hermione's parents invited them to join them for a day at a Muggle airshow. James and Sirius had been laughing at the name, "How could watching air be more entertaining than Quidditch?" , Up until the moment of the first display. After that they'd been hooked. While everyone else wandered the show ground checking the various displays. James and Sirius had camped under Lilly's lace parasol enthralled by the displays. Those 9 hours certainly had an effect, as soon as they apparated back to Grimauld Place they'd sequestered themselves in the library and started to plot. While they plotted Lilly could only look at the warded door and wonder why they still needed her favourite parasol?
6 months ago people started realising that something was a foot. Ministry employees from across the world were becoming a frequent sight in the halls of the British ministry. Not long after the captain's and managers from Quidditch teams across the globe were rumoured to have joined their ministry representatives in London. The news broke with simultaneous announcements in every Magical school once everyone had returned from their Easter holidays. The wizarding world was putting on its very first air display. If that wasn't enough student volunteers from every Magical school would be teaming up to help make it happen.
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Hermione hadn't been paying attention since the morning post arrived. Not that the boys had noticed, clamouring away about some announcement. The letter had been short and to the point. Emma had written to inform her her parents had accepted a promotion requiring them to move overseas. As such she wouldn't be there when Hermione returned from boarding school.
She'd met Emma a few hours after Professor McGonagall had arrived with her letter. While wandering the local park trying to come to terms with the fact magic existed and wondering if she could see anything magical around her she'd collided with the blond, neither paying attention to where they were going. They'd met again the following day and became inseperable by the close of summer. Hermione had stared in wonder at Hogwarts as they waited to be sorted her eyes scanning her fellow first years hoping to see distinctive blond locks in the crowd. When it became apparent her friend was a Muggle, Hermione decided whenever possible she'd return home and spend as much of the holidays together as possible.
They'd grown closer as the years progressed. Despite Emma being distant over Christmas, Hermione had finally conceived the perfect way to ask her friend if there was a chance of them being something more. Now she knew why she'd been distant. Emma wasn't going to be there this Summer.
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Headmistress McGonagall knew she'd need to be very selective about who could represent Hogwarts. The announcement had certainly set the rumour mill into overdrive, but it would be a pipe dream to suggest the entire school could go. Her representatives would need to be over 14 and their magical core's sufficiently stable to endure the long hours and hard work for that fortnight. Her first choice was obvious to every one. She'd taken the little lion under her wing once she found her in tears in her first week at Hogwarts, some prejudices take far too long to extinguish. Between loaning her a timeturner to attend extra lessons to Hermione's request her 4th year to restart Lilly's 'Defence Academy' for the younger years, McGonagall couldn't refuse her lion the opportunity to shine. As such she tracked Hermione to her usual table in the library. Remembering finding Lilly in the same place over the years. Explaining why she was rewarding Hermione with the opportunity, she asked if she'd like to go. The somewhat lackluster nature of the confirmation missed the Headmistress as she placed her protégé at the top of the list.
Once parental consent had been attained the finalised list was published in June. Hermione couldn't recall being offered a place but she wasn't about to turn it down.
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That's how Hermione found herself toiling beneath the July sun alongside her partner's in crime. The Muggle news declared it a heatwave. Beneath the Greenhouse effect of the wards with the humid miasma of magic in the air Hermione was inclined to agree. The Hogwarts contingent had arrived in advance of everyone else. Over the next 3 days they'd charm, transfigure and construct sufficient accomodation for themselves, the foreign students and a separate enclosure for the display teams. Once the foreign contingents arrived and had settled in. They were divided into smaller teams and alongside a ministry appointee set about creating the display arena, stands and various booths for the shows displays. They toiled in the sun as the first teams arrived and practiced their displays before a panel before receiving their certification to perform before the crowd.
Their work complete for now. The students were allowed to explore as the show got underway. Teams were detailed to various maintenance tasks ensuring the smooth operation of the show without preventing them from enjoying themselves.
James and Sirius had obviously fallen in love with the Red Arrows on sight. Their bright red firebolts and scarlet Quidditch robes giving the Muggle borns a chuckle. The displays varied from team to team. Some opted for displays of athletesism and skill. While others endeavoured towards a visual spectacle only magic could accomplish.
On Sunday evening the students relaxed as the teams partied celebrating their weekend of vanity and skill. For the students the hard work would begin once the teams departed in the morning.
After speechs and thanks from the various ministries, with promises for a bigger show next year. The students got to work. They moved down the field dismantling and storing everything they'd built so it could be used again. Wards were removed and as they sat down behind the wards of their campsite, to look back across where the show had been a Muggle would never know what had been.
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As the foreign contingents were departing in the morning. The Hogwarts staff had organised a BBQ in farewell. The house elves had arranged enough food for three times their number. Or so they thought. With the food vanished and in homage to the first time he danced with his wife, James had arranged for the Weird Sisters to perform a collection of Muggle and Wizarding hits long into the night.
Light headed from dehydration, the sun or possibly just high from the excitement. Hermione decided to let her hair down and dance with her friends. Catching sight of long blonde hair as a light flashed in the darkness. She turned to see a silhouette she thought she recognised reach out, grab her hand and start to dance with her. At first she thought it was Emma. But Emma was far from her mind as the woman before her spun. Pulling Hermione's chest flush against her back she sighed as she felt the Gryffindor place her hands on her hips pulling them together as they moved as one.
Hermione spun the blonde to face her trying to say something as the song changed. She barked with laughter as the blondes lips tickled the shell of her ear.
"Just follow the musique Mon amour. So shut up and dance with me"
Hermione couldn't believe this stunning French woman had picked her from the crowd, but she wasn't going to question it. Let others stare, her angel had chosen her. So the girls danced and danced.
The smirk that spread across the face of the witch she'd been trying to approach since they arrived a week ago left Fleur week at the knees. She recognised the sound of the trombones as they kicked off the next song. The look on her witches face turning positively sinful as she spun her around. As the rest of the band joined in Fleur realised not only could this witch swing, she was definitely in the mood. So they danced until the band stopped and their teachers ordered them to bed. Having walked the blonde to the door of her tent she brought her hand up and brushed her lips against the blondes knuckles.
"I'm Hermione by the way."
"I know Mademoiselle. Je m'appelle Fleur."
"I'm aware you're all returning to France tomorrow but would it be ok to write you?"
"Actually I have an interview at Gringotts tomorrow. But yes I'd like it if you could write to me. Bonne nuite, Hermione"
Hermione woke the following morning to find the foreign contingents had left. Returning to her bed having completed her morning routine she smiled at the folded piece of paper on her trunk. Her name spelled out in elegant cursive script.