Charms and Curses

Okay....this was originally going to be part of the last chapter...but that would have made it way too long and yadda yadda yadda.

Thanks to the wonderful people who have reviewed ^_^!! Also, a big thanks to Chained Dove, who helped BETA this chapter and also help out with the French *glomps* (psst...everyone go check out her work, it's very good)!!

In this chapter, Bill is made aware of the full force of veela power!! ~.^ WOO-HOO!!

All disclaimers apply. I don't own Bill. I wish I did, but nope...he's a character created by JKR and for the purposes of this fic, FLEUR owns him, not me~_^. Needless to say, I don't own Fleur either.

*    *    *

Fleur nodded solemnly. "Well zen, we should get started as soon as possible, n'est-ce pas? Eef we're done 'ere, let's not waste any time."

She was about to walk out of the chamber when Bill stopped her with a hand on her arm. "Wait one moment." He strode over to an open wooden sarcophagus at the other end of the room, and extracted two satchels made of brown leather. He handed one to Fleur.

"Rations, an emergency portkey, quills and parchment, a copy of a map of the land, although the mausoleum isn't outlined on it, various potions... pepper-up, Skelegro and other healing potions, as well as a potion that is similar to Polyjuice, but instead of changing you into someone else it will simply make you unrecognizeable. A Hieroglyph dictionary, and the brooms that I've mentioned."

"Vairy well. Eez zere anysing else?" She asked him. Bill conjured up a loaf of bread and threw it in a far corner of the room. He turned to Fleur.

"I'll release the ghoul in a moment, he'll go for the bread, but we best get out before he finishes it, or he might decide to pelt us with rocks again." Fleur nodded, and backed towards the door. Bill pointed his wand at the ghoul, and a moment later, it jumped up into the air like a cannonball and dove for the bread. Bill dashed towards the door and pulled Fleur out with him. "Wsir!" He said once more, and it closed behind them.

"Er, I'm not sure if you remembered the way back." He began, but Fleur was not listening. She was pointing her wand at the ground, and she opened her mouth. No magic words came out, but a song sprung from her lips, wordless, haunting as that of the phoenix, but much more seductive, and Bill found himself almost involuntarily drawn towards her like a moth to a flame. A moment later, she stopped. "Zere, done. Now I can find ze 'air." Then, she saw Bill's slightly glazed expression, and gasped.

"Bill! Oh, merde, I forgot zat ze song 'ad ozer powers as well..." She shook him by the shoulders.

Suddenly, he pulled her to him in a warm embrace. One hand at her waist, the other came up to stroke her hair softly. "You are so beautiful." His eyes burned with yearning.

Her eyes widened. "No, Bill! Zis is ze effect of ze veela song! It was only to locate ze 'air and... oh, do not do somesing zat you will regret!" Her words were cut off when he kissed her deeply on the lips. And before she could stop herself, she kissed him back. Then, shocked and appalled at herself for giving in to temptation and allowing such a thing to happen, she wrenched herself away.

His eyes lost their glassy appearance as the spell was broken a moment later, and he flushed as red as his hair. "What was THAT all about?" He exclaimed. Was she trying to SEDUCE him? At this time?

Fleur wouldn't look at him. "I'm so sorry. You see, I did a veela spell on a strand of my 'air so zat it would follow me on ze way 'ere, an' zen I would be able to find my way out of 'ere. But... ze easiest way to relocate ze 'air would be to sing ze veela song... and ze veela song also 'as ze ability to enchant men... I didn't mean to... I forgot... I am so sorry for my carelessness."

Saying so, she ran off down the corridor. Bill looked down, and, sure enough, a thin line of spun-gold started at his feet and led the way out. He quickly walked out after her.

She was waiting for him at the entrance, her pale face blushing when she saw him. She looked down at her shoes, and the lustrous sun-spun hair that had caused the trouble in the first place tumbled from its confines in the scarf and fell forward over her shoulders. Bill clenched his jaw. 'No, Weasley. She said it was just veela charms. That kiss, however heavenly it might have been, must not be repeated again. Not when you have a mission to work on. Just pretend that nothing happened. As long as she does not ever use veela charms again, you should be fine.' "We can forget that ever happened." He said shortly. She nodded wordlessly, and followed him as he stalked off towards the northwest. "Come along, we've a long journey to make from here to Alexandria."

~    ~    ~

They continued silently on their way. Both seemed to be determined to make up for the previous unwarranted intimacy by being unusually distant. Besides absolutely necessary questions and answers about directions, they did not speak to each other at all.

Finally, when the sun was high in the sky, they decided to stop for lunch. "There is an inn close by. A Muggle inn. So act accordingly." He said to her.

"Yes, I understand." Her impassive voice managed to hide the fact that she was getting rather nettled. They had been off to a good start this morning! She was just starting to consider him a friend, and then that one kiss ruined everything! 'Oh, who are you kidding? It was YOUR veela song that made him do that, he would never have done so otherwise.' Her brain scolded. 'He's not one to fall for just a pretty face, but when you went and put that SPELL on him... oh, he must have thought you were trying to seduce him or something!' Her heart argued back, 'But that was one thing! He even said to pretend it never happened and just go on as normal. So why is he being so cold? This is uncomfortable, I hope the entire mission does not go like this!' Mon Dieu! Just the first day of a mission and she was already arguing with herself! This was not a good thing at all.

Bill took a surreptitious glance at his partner. Her face was slightly troubled, a tiny furrow between elegant brows. 'Of course she would be upset! You acted like an animal this morning, and you've just met her. You should just feel lucky that she has not slapped you yet... or worse... for being such a prat. Great... now she probably feels like you lust after her. Which may very well be true, but she's your bloody partner! Weasley, get a grip! Partner! Life-and-death mission! Crown and Crook of Cleopatra... the Egyptian seductress...' SEDUCTRESS?! Good gracious... were her veela powers really that strong? He did NOT like the direction that his mind was going in. Dumbledore should have given him some warning about this...'This is all residual veela magic, Weasley. It will fade, and you will go back to normal.' His rambling thoughts were interrupted by her voice.

"Is zis ze inn?"

He looked up, and saw the sign "The Giddy Goblin" up ahead. "Yes, this is it."

Fleur giggled lightly, "'Ze Giddy Goblin'? Eez zere even such a sing? I certainly 'ave nevair seen one before."

Bill couldn't help but grin, "Eh, well, Muggles have not seen ANY goblins before, so..." And with that, the awkward silence was broken. The two walked in together.

Fleur sighed when heads swiveled around to scrutinize her as soon as she set foot in the establishment. "Merde, zere are times when I 'ate 'aving to deal wis men!" She hissed to Bill. "Zey sink not wis zeir heads, and it makes sings très difficile!"

"Is there anything you can do about it?" Bill asked. 'Let's hope there is. Then, these men would not be ogling her... and other things.'

"Well, it is worse around muggles. Zey do not see a part-veela, zey just see a girl zat inspires zeir lust. When I am around wizards, zey are usually not affected unless I do somesing to invoke ze veela magic. Wis muggles, 'owever..." Bill nodded inunderstanding.

"Here, you can sit down for a while; I will be right back. I need to ask the owner if there is any place on our route that we can stay for the night." He led her to an empty table and walked towards the counter where sat a squat, middle-aged woman.

As if on cue with her previous comments, a fat, greasy-looking man in a sweat-stained shirt approached her, a leer on his face.

"Hey there, girlie. What's a pretty girl like you doing in a place like this? Come on, I'll take you to some place much nicer." The rest of the men in the establishment laughed uproariously. Fleur's eyes narrowed into thin blue slits.

"Sank you for ze offer, but I am not interested. Now, please, go back to your table and leave me in peace." She said, lifting her chin proudly.

"Aww, don't be like that. Let's not play hard-to-get around me." The man would not be deterred.

"I am not playing ANYSING wis you! And for you, I am not 'ard to get, but IMPOSSIBLE to get, so leave me alone!" she retorted. 'Calmement, Fleur, you do not want to lose that veela temper and set fire to the establishment.'

"Ooh, a feisty one! I like that in a woman." The man chuckled to himself.

"What part of 'leave me alone' do you not understand?" She cried exasperatedly. "Now go away before I 'ave to take drastic meazures!"

A throat clearing loudly interrupted them before the man could respond. Bill had returned, and was looking down at the man who was bothering Fleur with cold fury in his eyes. "The lady is with me. Now, please leave us. I will not ask twice." Something in Bill's forbidding expression evidently unnerved the fat man, who slunk away. Fleur flashed Bill a look of gratitude.

"Merci." She said softly. Then, cautiously, "I 'ope we can still be friends, I really am sorry about what 'appened zis morning. And I promise not to use Veela magic on you."

Bill could not help but be touched by her sincerity, and took her extended hand. "Friends, then." He replied, and both smiled. Their food arrived soon after, and the tense, charged atmosphere of earlier left without a trace.

*    *    *

Okay, how was that? I promise, the next time they kiss, Veela magic will have nothing to do with it ~_^ Does that make everyone happy? REVIEW!