Chapter Text
"What is the sexist look that some painters, authors and thinkers, who are women, are pointing out recently? Cruz's 2010 study gives us an interesting insight into sexism in art." The professor of artistic theory began by speaking calmly. Hermione was a third year student at the London School of Arts, and she was fascinated in photography. "In postmodern thinking, we can speak of multiple ways of seeing. This multiplicity is not always comfortable. It would be easier to believe that there is only one truth to be discovered, a true answer to all questions, therefore also a way of looking more truthfully than the others." The professor walked around the room. Her red dress skirt fluttered slightly with each step she took. "Thinking about these multiple ways of seeing, we reflect on the way of seeing contaminated by issues of sexual difference and on the powers that pertain to this field. For this conversation today, we must put ourselves in the position of the woman looking at the situation from the outside, which is something that we modern women know very well." She spoke and leaned sideways on the end of the table where Hermione was.
"Professor, this addresses much more of a feminist view of art than a theory of a crude view, correct?" Hermione's best friend, Harry asked with real interest.
"Yes, this is about a feminist view in its greatest example. Art is a social reflection, and therefore, it is a way that feminism can measure the world. Addams, in 1996, exemplified that feminism in art has two major fields. The first is to document and recognize the discrimination of women as artists or subjects of art and the second is to narrate how female artists influence art both as artists, patrons or clients." She cleared her throat and went down the long stairs to the end of the auditorium.
Bellatrix Black was a revolutionary artist, a visionary when it came to classes in artistic theory, a multifaceted and respected historian, and especially, she is one of the greatest idols that Hermione had in modern art.
"One of the most consistent examples we have is how men have had much more access to studies in the arts than women. For years, and many years, by the way, the mere idea of a woman - a good woman - drawing or painting or approaching a nude model was outrageous and disrespectful. Another point is that women are seen much more as the target of looks than someone who creates something to be looked at. In the early days of the feminist movement we had in 1971, Linda Nochlin questioning reason that there are no great female artists and then, my students, that the questioning really started." She smiled broadly and pulled out the coffee mug that was always present in her classes. She took a long drink and then sighed. "But even so, the female struggle finds a knot. Artists and thinkers who have achieved enough visibility or attention in art to approach and create changes in the theme came from a class that was in power at each time and that had a direct influence on their artistic family. I can quote Artemisia Gentileschi, Orzio Gentileschi’s daughter, Angelica Kauffmann and Mary Moser, George Moser’s daughter " She placed the mug on the table and started walking around the room again. Bella was never known to be standing for a long time. "In the Renaissance, we can refer to three female artists - Properiza de Rossi, Sofasnisba Anguissola and Plautilla Nelli. But, in the twentieth century, Western art histories, as a rule, totally ignored women. For example, Janson's History of Art, in its first edition, in 1962, does not mention a single female artist. In its 1986 edition, the third, it refers to twenty-one female artists, in a total of four hundred and thirty referenced artists." Bella stopped and saw that one of the students' hands was raised.
"Miss Abbott, ask."
"Is sexism the only answer to this denial of such a fundamental part of history, or were there more reasons?" She questioned firmly, and Bella smiled slightly.
"Exactly what Rozisca Parker and Griselda Pollock had questioned. There is a greatness in art that goes beyond what is ideologically perpetuated by the history of patriarchal art, but still patriarchal art is sexist and exclusive, which directly interferes in the space that women have within art. " Bella walked a little further and leaned against another student's table. “Now, about the hunger in the eyes. Can anyone tell me what that means?" Hermione's hand went up quickly. "Miss Granger. "
"Some thinkers and historians have observed that the naked model was a visibly white and heterosexual club, which created the reference that women become an object of consumption, not a voice to be heard." She spoke in a calm tone, and the professor smiled.
"Exactly. When we turn our critical eyes as a female observer subject to the theme Naked model, one of the ways to analyze the role of women in the history of European art is to look at the socio-historical construction of the nude model painting. British Royal Academy in 1968: Angelica Kauffmann and Mary Moser were not included among the artists casually arranged around naked male models. They were only through their portraits on the wall, but the main segregation of women was the fact that they were prevented the study of the nude model, which was the basis for the teaching of representation from the 16th to the 19th centuries. And amazingly, until the 20th century, no more women were accepted as members of this academy. Academies meant that their careers could not progress in the same way as their male colleagues. Who could tell me what were the fields of painting that women worked at that time?" Bella looked around and focused on a student who had her hand raised. "Miss Parkinson."
"Flowers, still lifes, delay and gender painting - addresses the representation of customs - parties, rituals, domestic scenes, hunting scenes."
"Very well. An example of the time was that Susanna and the Old Man, was painted by Artemisia Gentileschi, but until the end of the 20th century, the painting was attributed to her father, the painter Orazio Gentileschi. This is in general a vicious demonstration of how much women were seen as less talented or capable or even unable to take on their own prints. When we had the spread of the naked model culture, we had this gigantic increase in a vision where the female body was prey. It has been dragging through time, for a long period, but we have to observe that although the female nude in Western art was more or less constant throughout its history, this does not mean that the woman, as a subject, and your sexuality were, too." Bella started to move again, went down the stairs and took a sip of coffee, watching the big clock at the end of the room. "In Western art, dominated by the male desire that would be the desire to possess the woman and the image, the desire to dominate the object and to fantasize the desire. The woman has been widely represented according to certain stereotyped roles, which aesthetic codes are charged to disguise this predatory look. We can mention the muse, model, madonna, prostitute, religious icon or pornographic photo. Now we turn our eyes as a female observer, to pictures painted by women on the female nude. We can quote, for example, Paula Modershon ‑ Beker and Suzanne Valadon. Valadon worked a lot on the female nude model and yet critics were not able to separate the status of the female nude for male creativity, praising Valadon's work as ‘she painted with masculine power’ and ‘that art was manly’. For Chadwick, this artist has mastered the technique of representing the naked body, because instead of presenting the woman's body as a desired surface, isolated and controlled by the masculine gaze, it emphasizes the uncomfortable gestures of the figures, controlling the women's movements. We can mention some works by Valadon, such as “Grandmother and young girl getting in the shower” and “Naked with striped bedspread”, are examples of how the female image is seen differently when painted by a woman." Bella showed the paintings and she smiled again. And as an opposite example I will cite two works painted by men, Les Démoiselles D'Avignon, by Picasso, and Portrait of André Derain, by Balthus. "See how the female representation differs." Bella gave several other examples of paintings and saw the students' agreement look. "Now, for your project, we will have an exhibition called "From Meat to Meat," and we will reinterpret paintings or photographs created by men from a feminist point of view. I want you to be creative and invent a way to reread a painting that addresses women as objects of desire. I want observers to feel desire for women as a woman and not as an object of fantasies." Bella clapped her hands and then she dismissed the class.
**********
Hermione stopped after many long hours. She had been prowling the city's museums for weeks looking for a painting that would inspire her. She saw all the pictures she could and heard her classmates find partners, but she was dissatisfied. She wanted to cause reactions. That was when she came across a painting in the middle of the British museum. A woman sitting on the lap of a man, William Basse, 1640. A massive and expressive description of how the woman was seen as an object, a picture that caused Hermione an immense disgust. And she knew it was the one she was supposed to work with.
Hours later in the library, Hermione found herself reading about the painting, studying the time it was painted and especially trying to find a way to modify and reread the painting in a feminist way. And she knew that she needed a model that was seen as an object of desire, which fortunately or unfortunately Hermione herself was not. But it was in the library that she saw something that caught her attention.
"Oh come on, Fleur! Just one date! I'm not asking for anything more than that." William Weasley, the popular and really smart but proportionately asshole law student, was tormenting Fleur Delacour. Fleur was the most coveted girl in the school. The Veterinary Medicine student had the highest grades of all undergraduate students. She was very competent and charismatic as far as Hermione knew. She knew Fleur at a glance, as she was the sister of Ginny's girlfriend, Gabrielle. But if Hermione was honest, she and Fleur walked in very different social circles and despite knowing the name, reputation, and beauty of the blonde woman, she had very little knowledge of the woman herself to form an opinion.
"William, you have been insisting, pushing and pressing for a date, a kiss, a chance for six months now. I don't want to, and that should be more than enough for you to understand." Fleur spoke with annoyance, and Hermione clearly saw the blonde's angry look. Her blue eyes were shining with extreme mischief.
"Oh come on, I'm the most handsome guy at the university and you are the most beautiful, we are smart and cunning, we can make a good couple." He spoke by touching the woman's arm and raising his hand to her shoulder, that's when Hermione felt a space of disgust.
"Fleur! Gabrielle said that you would be around. I would like to talk to you about the project." Hermione spoke, cutting them both off, and Fleur looked at first confused and then slightly relieved. "William, I'm going to steal Fleur a moment from you. Thanks, bye!" Hermione offered a hand to Fleur which she readily accepted. William was confused looking at the two women leaving. As soon as they were far enough away, Fleur turned to Hermione.
"I appreciate it, but I didn't need a rescue." She spoke in a simple tone.
"Oh, it wasn't just about that. I would really like to discuss a project with you." Hermione spoke slightly shyly as she got the beautiful woman's attention all over her.
"Ok... I think it's fair. I have class now, but can we meet at the cafe in front of the south exit of the college at... three o'clock?" Fleur spoke, clearly acting as if coffee was a payment for something.
"Uh... It sounds good. I have classes in twenty minutes until two hours from now. So, it fits very well. Just a friendly warning. I sometimes start randomly photographing things while I wait." Hermione spoke blushing and tapped the side bag she was carrying.
"An artist's weight I think." Fleur spoke thoughtfully. "See you later." Fleur took two steps and stopped. "I'm not sure of your name..." She said, blushing slightly.
"Hermione, Hermione Granger." The brunette responded quickly.
"A pleasure, Hermione." Fleur smiled politely and walked away in quick steps with her blonde hair fluttering in the wind. The blonde completely missed a flustered Hermione hiding behind her hands while talking to herself.
"What the fuck did I just do?" She grunted against her hands and started walking away to the class she was actually going to have.
**********
Hermione was crouched in front of the cafeteria that Fleur had booked with her. She had been there for almost twenty minutes, walking back and forth, taking pictures of nature and the city. It was when she saw a tiny yellow flower rising in the middle of the gray sidewalk, she knelt and focused on the small flower, giving a blur in the background and quickly took the photo. She stood up and looked at the photo with pride.
"Can I see it?" Fleur's sudden voice came from beside her, and Hermione jumped slightly, looking like a frightened deer. "I’m sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." She spoke, raised her hands slightly in a timid tone.
"Oh, don't worry. I'm a scaredy cat according to Harry." Hermione spoke sheepishly and then looked at the camera in her hands. "Here, look at how it looks." She turned the camera on Fleur, who promptly came over to see it.
"Oh, it looks so beautiful!" Fleur spoke in an enchanted tone.
"I'm going to take it for editing later. I'm going to highlight the yellow speck a little, and this will create a greater contrast with the shadows and gray tones of the sidewalk. I think I'm going to put this photo in one of my folders about minimalism." Hermione spoke to herself more than to Fleur. "Well..." She cut herself and smiled slightly, lowering the camera. "Shall we go in? Coffee sounds glorious now." Fleur smiled slightly and nodded. Hermione, as the well-mannered person she was, stepped forward and opened the door for the blonde. The two went into the cafe and chose a table in the corner. It took very little time for each to have a cup in hand.
"So, what did you want to discuss with me?" Fleur asked curiously.
"I have an art project that I would like your help with... But I totally understand if you say no!" Hermione jumped quickly between rations and blushed.
"Well, what about you just start telling me about the project?" Fleur asked in a mixture of a smile and a curious look.
"Uh, well, I believe that I'm practically a stranger to you as well as you to me..." Hermione thought for a moment.
"But still, you knew my name." Fleur spoke in a puzzled tone.
"I really know Gabrielle, she dates my best friend."
"Oh, Ginny. I do like her." Fleur nodded. "So, continue?"
"Sure, sure. So, I'm in the third year of art school, focusing on photography. I was in History and Theory of Art, when the professor suggested a project. We were talking about the masculinized view of female subjects like men aim at women so that in any artistic expression it becomes an object of desire and lust. The professor wanted this project where we should take a painting, photography and art and have a re-reading of it, in order to bring a feminist vision to the public."
"Okay... And where do I get into this?" Fleur spoke in a more puzzled and curious tone than before.
"With all due respect... uh... you are an object of constant male objectification." Hermione cleared her throat and looked at the cup. "I would like you to model... well... with me, in a series of photographs." She spoke extremely timidly and looked away.
"Do you want me to model with you because I'm an object of negative male attention?" Fleur repeated calmly.
"Something like that? I especially want to shock people." Hermione spoke with a shrug and a blush. "I understand if you don't want to." She cleared her throat again.
"How would we shock people?" Fleur asked, still in a calm tone.
"I want to reconstruct a painting in the form of a photograph, a 1640 painting by William Basse, called: A Woman Sitting on the Lap of a Man." Hermione quickly reached for the photo bag and took a photo she had printed of the painting. "I wanted to do a lesbian reading of it." Hermione spoke confidently about her project and tried to hide her fear of a negative reaction.
"You know that our university is basically made up of Catholic heterosexual white men, right?" Hermione nodded.
"Exactly. My point is to shock these people.." She spoke confidently.
"Well, it's a daring project... I must say ..." Fleur considered for a moment, and Hermione felt her hands go cold in anxious sweat. "But I think we can find a way to fit your schedule with mine... I got into the idea."
“Really?" Hermione asked in a surprised tone.
"Yeah." With that the two smiled at each other and started to review the schedules, looking for the best time so that they could take the photograph.
**********
"So, did you have a date with my sister?" Gabrielle spoke, appearing next to the brunette suddenly with a wide smile on her face, which made hermione jump slightly and spill coffee on the sheet she was writing on.
"Damn. I need to put a bell on you both." She mumbled to herself and started to dry the sheet with a napkin. "It was not a date. It was a project discussion meeting." Hermione defended herself.
"Did you go outside the university, have a coffee and spend hours talking?" Gabby asked with a wide smile.
"Yes, but it's not a point-" Hermione was cut off quickly.
"So, it was a date." Gabby spoke and sat down, pulling out Hermione's cup and taking a sip.
"Hey! This is my coffee!" Hermione grunted and pulled the coffee over to her. "I really hope your sister has more politiness."
"Oh, will you see each other at other meetings then?" Gabby asked with a wide smile and Hermione rolled her eyes.
"These are not dates. And yes, we will see each other again. She agreed to help me with my HTA project." Hermione sighed and shrugged. "I was just happy that she agreed to help me. Otherwise, I would have to ask for your help and that would be disgusting." The brunette joked, and Gabby raised her hand to her chest in shock.
"Oh, outrageous!" She spoke in a dramatic tone and then the two laughed. "Just treat my sister well, and I won't have to kill you and hide your body in a cornfield in dozens of small pieces processed on a farm machine." Gabby spoke, shrugging her shoulders and smirked.
"That was scarily specific." Hermione winced and then nodded. "Okay, be nice to your sister, noted."
"When will you have your first meeting ?" The tone she used clearly wanted to mock the word.
"Well, we are in a week of exams. So, we will start next week. I have a few months for the project, and usually a big project like this, where there are at least 8 photos, I want it to be done with time, which is different from my colleagues who haven't moved yet to start the project itself. I think Harry is sculpting something, but we haven't talked about it in particular." Hermione thought for a moment.
"Well, Harry usually takes a lot more time on projects because they are actually sculptures." Gabby shrugged. "I think it is better for the project to be ready now than to be ready later." The younger blonde spoke with a nod. "It seems to be a smart move." She spoke calmly.
"Gabby, you are studying biotechnology. You know better than I do that working on tight deadlines doesn't pay off." This made the blonde laugh lightly.
"Oh, yes. Did I tell you that I'm already working on my graduation project?" Gabby spoke proudly and started explaining how she wanted the next two years to be productive with her project. She would have two years to work on all data collection and writing, which made Hermione impressed. Gabby was always organized and methodical but giving herself two years to collect data was impressive in itself. The blonde then began to explain in great detail, to Hermione's confusion, about what the project was and how she planned to carry it out. She listened as carefully as she could and asked for explanations. Gabby also asked for a little help with editing the photos that she would take in the electron microscope, such as coloring the images. She also guaranteed that Hermione would totally take the credit, which made the young photographer readily accept.
**********
Hermione was nervous, she snorted to herself and sighed. She had booked this studio room for a few hours at night and was reasonably uncomfortable with the surroundings. Very open, very white and especially lost the intimate air that she wanted to impose on the photo. She walked this way and that, moved the chair that had been made available to her. An ugly green armchair. She was looking at the object with disgust and that was what Fleur saw first when she entered the studio.
"You don't look happy." Fleur spoke and Hermione jumped slightly and looked at her. What made the blonde laugh and the brunette snort.
"This room sucks, a lot." Hermione spoke in disgust.
"And do we need to use it?" This question made the brunette think for a while, and when she had an idea, she felt herself blush. "That looks like a promising idea." Fleur spoke playfully.
"Eh... Er... We could use the room in my home. I actually have a red chair that is much more beautiful than this, and the ambience would be much more intimate... We could use music to add to the ambiance," Hermione spoke to herself and went on babbling. "I would have to move some lights to make the lighting easier, and I would have room for the camera's tripe if I pull the television couch further..." She rambled slightly.
"Intimate and with music then, huh?" Fleur spoke in a slightly provocative tone, and Hermione blushed.
"Oh, not that way! Just for the pictures!" She spoke in a high-pitched tone and blushed heavily. This made Fleur smile.
"Sure, just for the pictures." The blonde spoke with a nod and smiled. "Well, are we going to your place then?" Hermione nodded and then moved to dismantle her own camera and tripod.
"That was strangely simple." Hermione murmured to herself and blushed again. What the hell was she thinking of taking the most beautiful woman from the university to her house? She thought to herself and within minutes the two were walking side by side on the very bright and busy street of the university.
"Do you live too far?" Fleur asked curiously.
"No, not really." Hermione took another step. "I literally live on the other side of the north gate in that student condominium. My parents were a little surprised and decided to give me a house there. Now tell me, what the hell am I going to do with a house there besides selling after I've finished my studies?" Hermione spoke, rolling her eyes.
"Oh yes, I know the feelings. My mom did the same thing. Gabby and I have an apartment a little further from the west gate. Completely out of the way from Downtown where I intend to open a clinic, and honestly, what would I do if I had to drive 40 minutes every day? Hell of life. I told my mom to rent a place, but she claimed that the price of buying a property is much better." Fleur rolled her eyes.
"Exactly what my parents said! They claim that because I don't have to pay for college on account of the scholarship that they would buy a damn property." Hermone snorted, and Fleur laughed lightly.
"Same case here. But at least Gabby will have a home for the next two years." The older blonde shrugged. "The gods know that for her to be close to the labs is better. She can get lost on campus." Fleur spoke, laughing lightly.
"She went to get Ginny once... she got lost on the floors of the building that the Weasleys live in, and Gabby was late for the date. Ginny was pissed off, but in the end, everything worked out." Hermione laughed lightly, and the two of them crossed the street. She tapped the password at the condominium entrance gate and started guiding Fleur to the small but beautiful house she owned. "It is not much, but welcome." She spoke, opening the front door, and the two entered the house.
Hermione's house was simple and a small two story with two bedrooms, one used by her parents when they came to visit and another for herself. It has a spacious living room and two bathrooms. Hermione also had a small basement, where she worked on the images like a dark room and office. The room was simple and divided with the kitchen by a half wall. It had a large brown bookcase and beside it an armchair that had a single lamp. The small television and a couch. It was nothing too luxurious, but it was well organized and colorful with woody and red tones. Fleur liked the little house very much, especially that Hermione had many pictures right at the entrance to the house. They were of her with her parents, friends, and diverse landscapes.
"I'm going to make you some tea while I fix everything. It shouldn't be too long." Fleur nodded, and the two went to the kitchen. It took just minutes for the blonde to be with a hot mug in her hands and watching Hermione setting up the tripods, doing the light test and arranging everything as she would like it to look. Fleur thought that clearly photography was a much more complex art than she imagined and that Hermione was really an artist, composing the environment as she was composing.
Hermione did some test photos of the chair with the light and slightly changed the camera's configuration to another one and tested again. She was satisfied and then turned to tell Fleur that everything was ready. Hermone froze slightly when she saw that Fleur's curious eyes were fixed on her.
"Uh... Hi!" The brunette spoke lightly and blushed. "Everything is ready. We can do the first round of position tests and everything... I probably should have discussed the details with you." She murmured and approached the table and sat across from Fleur.
"You look worried." Fleur tried to lighten the mood with a playful tone.
"A little, uh... I probably should have informed you long before that I am not heterosexual?" Hermione spoke and blushed.
"Ah... Well, the LGBT flag behind the front door didn't leave much doubt, I think?" Fleur spoke calmly and smiled sweetly. "I don't care that you're not heterosexual, Hermione. I believe you won't push anything I'm not comfortable with. Gabby spoke well of you when I questioned who you were and how you knew me. Also, she apparently talks a lot about me with Ginny and ended up talking with you a little too... I was a bit confused about how someone I didn't know that existed knew my name.” Fleur shrugged.
"Is there anything in the project that you have doubts about?" Hermione questioned calmly, feeling calmer by the easy acceptance of her sexuality.
"Only, we talked about sexuality and lesbian eroticism, but that doesn't mean.... Well..." Fleur suddenly blushed heavily and Hermione thought for a second what would make someone as confident as Fleur become shy. And then the realization came.
"Oh!" She whispered and then cleared her throat. "It will be nothing explicit or without clothes!" She spoke quickly, and Fleur sighed with relief.
"What are the parameters actually? Are we going to kiss? Touch?" Fleur spoke much more curiously.
"Hm." Hermione thought for a moment, and her hyperactive mind went to several places that were not very well behaved. She cleared her throat and looked away at the chair. "I thought of something more in the lines of hands walking and maybe a mouth against a neck or chin... Of course a kiss would be the apex of the composition, but I don't want to push you to anything that is not comfortable, and honestly, I can work on my project without the kiss. " Hermione spoke with a shrug.
"But, it wouldn't be a composition as you actually imagined..." Fleur spoke calmly. "Can we, when our comfort level goes up then return to this topic?"
"Sure! Today is more about testing light and camera, testing whether we need to move the chair or something. I know you have a lot less time than I do, and doing these tests today will help me compose the idea better. So when we schedule the next session, we can already try to see which clothes would be more suitable. "
"Oh, I have an idea for the clothes!" Fleur spoke in a wide smile, and Hermione nodded for her to proceed. "I imagine how we are recreating the painting, and there was a more Victorian era ... Well, I have this white dress from when I was dressed up as Marilyn Monroe for a party with Gabby at the beginning of last year." Fleur spoke and cleared her throat. "You should be in a suit." She blushed slightly. "And tie." Fleur cleared her throat again. "In order to represent the 'male' figure but who has a completely different treatment from a man, I think that this would bring much more veracity to the reinterpretation." Fleur spoke and thought to herself that Hermione would probably look hot in a suit and tie. A prolonged silence took over the brunette's kitchen, and Fleur felt herself blush a little more.
"Fleur, this is a great idea!" Hermione spoke, standing up. "I have a suit that I wore at my cousin's wedding last year. I probably need to iron my pants and shirt and get a tie in a different color because we agreed that green would look awful." Hermione grunted. And she started pacing back and forth talking to herself. "Oh, okay, what do you think about testing the settings?" The brunette invited with a wide and gentle smile, and Fleur felt herself blush with genuine attention.
"Sure, just tell me what I need to do." Hermione then guided her to the chair. "Sit down please. I want to test the exposure and the lights, angle and everything..." Hermione then approached the camera when Fleur sat down. It was a long moment of silence, and Fleur just felt herself blush when she heard the brunette mumbling. "By the gods, you are beautiful." Hermione said in a low tone and then made some adjustments to the lights. "Well, this is the ideal setting to highlight your eyes and your hair. Everything was very beautiful. I'm going to take some test pictures and show you how it was. So... give me a smile?" Hermione spoke over the camera, and Fleur smiled sheepishly. The sound of the shutter closing a few times made the blonde blush again.
Hermione then took the camera off the tripod and approached Fleur.
"Did it look good?" The blonde questioned calmly, and Hermione smiled.
"Yes, it was perfect. Take a look." She turned the camera so that Fleur could see, and the blonde was surprised at how easily Hermione managed to capture her blonde hair and blue eyes fluttering. "I'm going to test editing these photos later to see what I can do to make your eyes pop even more. They are beautiful and deserve as much prominence as I can give." Hermione spoke, smiling slightly and turning to the tripod.
"You are too kind." Fleur spoke, and Hermione shrugged.
"I just portray reality as I see it." The brunette smiled again and adjusted the tripod.
"Don't you have to be in the pictures with me?" Fleur spoke calmly, and Hermione blushed.
"Well, yes... er... I'm going to set the timer, and let's test if the setting is good." Fleur nodded, and Hermione did as she had said. But it was strange, since the brunette just approached and didn't sit or anything.
"Hermione, sit down ." Fleur stood up, and Hermione's eyes widened. "Come on, I'm going to sit on your lap and then we can try this right." The brunette blushed deeply and saw Fleur calmly get up. She was then pushed slightly to sit and froze when Fleur sat on her lap sideways. The blonde's breasts were very close to the brunette's face, and Hermione felt herself blushing deeply. "Are you okay there?"
"Uh, sorry. It's been awhile..." Hermione blushed even more, and Fleur laughed lightly, leaning her chin against the top of the brunette's head.
"Well, for me too." The faint silence took both while the shutter continued to click.
"But are you the most wanted girl at the university?" Hermione asked, slightly confused.
"Just because I am wanted does not mean that I feel desired by who I am. For the vast majority, I am a form of status or just a beautiful body. I have always been much more mental than physical." Fleur sighed and took her chin off Hermione's head and moved. She smiled slightly when she felt Hermione's hands promptly moving to her legs and waist to help stabilize her. Fleur's nose brushed lightly against Hermione's temple until her lips brushed gently over her ear. "I like sex a lot, but I prefer sex to be emotional and not just to have a warm body on my sheets... I like the lightness of touch, the firmness of wanting, feeling wanted for who I am and not by the shape of my body." Hermione swallowed, and Fleur smiled slightly at how easily the brunette felt hot and restless. "I was relieved to find that being touched, loved, and desired by a woman was how I really was satisfied. Being attractive to men is something I hardly want." Fleur sighed against Hermione's ear shell, and the brunette sighed slightly, closing her eyes and pressing Fleur's body against her.
"Oh... I-I... I didn't know that." She stammered slightly and tilted her head gently towards Fleur, which caused the blonde to lower her face a little more. Fleur's lips brushed against Hermione's cheek and quickly the room started to feel even hotter.
"Hmm... I am trusting you with this. I am reasonably discreet in my life, but I also want you to know that part of me, Hermione." The tone was whispered, and Hermione unconsciously raised her chin slightly. The blue and brown eyes met, and Hermione saw and felt the desire bubbling between the two. That was when the camera started to whistle frantically, and they both froze, as if the eroticism of the situation had been cut with a hot knife. The blonde felt herself blush slightly and stood up, allowing Hermione to approach the camera.
"Oh, we ran out of space on the card." Hermione spoke sheepishly. That's when Fleur's cell phone rang, and the situation was definitely cut short. Fleur answered the phone in a few short replies she hung up.
"Hey, it's a little late... Gabby called worriedly." She cleared her throat and blushed slightly. "I think I should go home, but... well... give me your phone number?" The two blushed again, and Fleur spoke in a timid tone. "That way we can easily schedule another day in the future." She amended calmly, and Hermione nodded, dictating the number quickly. The brunette guided the blonde to the door, and her own attitude surprised her. She pulled Fleur into a hug. The brunette's hands were on the blonde's waist, and Fleur sighed, letting herself relax against Hermione's body. The blonde hands went up to the brunette's shoulders, and the two stayed there for a short moment. With a sigh, Fleur walked away.
"Good night, Hermione." She spoke with a shy smile and took a few steps away while still looking at Hermione. She turned and then sped home. The brunette closed the door and leaned against the LGBT flag that was there.
"Holy Cow. What the hell was this?" She closed her eyes and sighed for a long time.
**********
Hermione was sitting in one of the library's reserved study rooms, wearing her earbuds and listening to light jazz while she took advantage of the spare time to work on some editing tests. That was when she saw the door opening, and Ginny and Gabby comfortably entering the room holding hands.
"Hey guys!" Hermione spoke, smiling happily. Gabby released the redhead's hand and approached, hugging Hermione from behind and resting her chin against the top of the brunette's head. For a moment, Hermione thought that this was a thing of the Delacour family.
"Holy crap!" Gabby's surprised tone caught the attention of Ginny, who approached curiously when she saw her girlfriend focused on Hermione's computer screen.
"Oh, wow." Ginny sounded as surprised as the girlfriend and then looked at Hermione. "Jesus, is this from yesterday's session?" Hermione blushed and looked at the computer. There were two pictures on the screen. One of Fleur looking at the camera sheepishly, where Hermione was testing edits to highlight details and colors, and next to that there was a photo of Fleur on Hermione's lap, her nose against the brunette's ear shell, Hermione with her eyes closed just like Fleur, the brunette's hands gripping the fabric of the blonde's t-shirt and the thighs of the blonde woman. The blonde's hands were resting on Hermione's shoulder and the other firmly on the back of the chair.
"Shit, this is sexy, and we're talking about my sister here." Gabby spoke, and Hermione felt herself blush even more. "This is a non-date meeting, right?" Gabby sneered, and Ginny snorted.
"You can cut the sexual tension with a knife over there." Hermione groaned and put her hands over her eyes when Gabby spoke.
"Guys, for the love of god." She groaned muffled.
"No, seriously. It looks sexy, and at the same time, it looks so good. Jesus. And you guys just took test pictures right?" Hermione nodded, still covering her hands. "God protect you. You're going to die of self-combustion at that rate." Ginny talked about it in fun.
"Or, they will have sex." Gabby spoke over the girlfriend who just laughed. Hermione snorted at length.
"Look, I understand that for some divine reason that you are reading things too much. I am not comfortable with these jokes. It questions my professionalism, and it makes me uncomfortable." Hermione spoke honestly, and both Ginny and Gabby froze slightly. Hermione closed her eyes feeling slightly overwhelmed, and then, she felt embraced by both of them.
"Sorry." Gabby spoke softly, and Hermione sighed shakily.
"I just... I would never abuse the consent given to me. She trusts me to be professional about it. I need to be professional about it.” Hermione spoke in a tone that made visible how uncomfortable she was.
"But, are you attracted to her?" Ginny asked gently.
"Of course I am. She is wonderfully beautiful. But honestly, we don't know each other, and I really need her for this project to work." Hermione spoke softly, and the two friends agreed.
"Look, I'm not against you realistically dating my sister. She had relationships that were... unstable in the best of words in the past, and I really think you are amazing and would fit in well with her. But." Gabby cut herself and smiled slightly. "I understand that the mockery makes you uncomfortable, and I will try my best to cut it off completely." The blonde shrugged and then smiled wider. "Now, tell me how you envision this in the future." She pointed to the pictures. And that seemed to make Hermione totally relax.
"I want a series of eight photos. I want them to make a desire grow. As Professor Black mentioned earlier in our classes, I want to start with something really simple. The first photo will be of Fleur sitting on my lap and things climbing. So, it's going to take more than one session to get it. I want to build the tension photo by photo." The two friends nodded to the brunette's speech and slowly, one idea at a time, Hermione explained how she would do the project.
In the late afternoon, Hermione smiled when she saw that on the cell phone there was a notification from an unknown number. Fleur seemed excited to continue the project.