Work Text:
Fleur Isabelle Delacour was afraid of a few things in life.
Her mate, Hermione Jean Granger, without coffee, was at the top of that list.
"Fleur," said a very annoyed brunette.
The Veela flinched slightly, knowing what was coming next. "Oui, mon coeur?"
"When can I have coffee, again?" if Fleur couldn't feel the frustration through their bond, it was quite obvious in her voice.
Because caffeine and pregnancy didn't mix, Hermione had to go cold turkey.
Hermione was someone who survived solely on coffee.
You see, Fleur wasn't afraid for her own life. Oh no, Hermione would never hurt her, that much was certain.
She was afraid for everyone else's.
Hermione was grouchy, and it was only going to get worse.
"In about eight and a half months..."
It was only two weeks in.
---- Two Weeks Later ----
Hermione's pregnancy cravings kicked in.
Anything coffee flavored.
ANYTHING.
It didn't matter what it was, if it had a coffee hint to it and didn't have caffeine in it, she wanted it.
---- Two Months Later ----
Fleur banished Hermione inside for the rest of her pregnancy term, except for doctor visits. The brunette was so grumpy, despite having not touched caffeine for three months, that the Veela felt her mate was a threat to anyone and everyone not named Fleur Delacour or Harry Potter, and even then she wasn't sure about the latter.
So Fleur figured that some homework was in order.
But what do you give one of the most talented (and powerful) witches of all time in terms of homework assignments? That was Fleur's problem.
Then it hit her: get her to learn a new language. That should occupy her time long enough.
---- Two Months Later ----
Fleur forgot how much of a sponge Hermione's brain was, and how focused she got when learning new things. Put a book in front of her, even the thickest tomes imaginable, and it'll be absorbed within a day or two, and any practical work would follow nearly just as quickly.
So now she had a caffeine starved Hermione, who now knew English, French, Spanish, Latin, Japanese, and Veela.
Fleur had only one option at that point. She called in the big guns.
She called Hermione's mentor: Professor and Transfiguration Mistress, Minerva McGonagall.
Who proceeded to give the brunette homework. Extremely complex transfiguration problems, sure to keep the British witch occupied for the remainder of the term.
They hoped.
---- One Month Later ----
Those challenges lasted a month, and Hermione conquered all.
So Fleur told her to get another mastery. That should keep her occupied, she figured.
---- Two Months Later ----
Turns out that Hermoine had already done something so impressive, that she got fast tracked into an Ancient Runes mastery.
It turns out that if you do translate one of the seminal works of wizarding kind from the original runes, you know what the fuck you're doing.
The Runes Master seemed more starstruck that Hermione Granger had picked him to teach her.
So now Fleur had a Hermione that had learned a couple languages, conquered some extremely complex transfiguration problems, gotten another mastery, and had one month left to go for her pregnancy.
Which is what sort of kept Fleur sane: only one month left to go, and she was completely out of ideas.
---- One Month Later ----
"Fuck!"
Hermione rarely swore while sober, but most people understood that swearing while giving birth is 100% understandable.
But like everything in the past nine months, she conquered childbirth, too.
The newborn was passed around, and as Fleur handed off their new daughter to Mr. Granger, the brunette grabbed the blonde, and had only one thing to say.
"COFFEE, NOW!"
Fleur quickly ran off, much to the amusement of their gathered parents and Harry and Gabrielle, with Hermione looking grumpy again.
But that look lasted all of five seconds before a genuine smile returned to her face, looking at her parents hold her daughter.
It was worth it.