Dragon Egg

"Good evening, darling. You arrived much later than Albert and I did." Fleur wore a neat, splendid chiffon evening dress, and at that moment she looked radiant, like Venus, the goddess of love and beauty in Roman mythology. She drifted toward Hermione, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she giggled rather theatrically. "Guess what I saw earlier? A witch with dreadful taste, who'd 'decorated' herself with huge diamonds and a pale green low-cut dress. She looked exactly like a Christmas tree."

Using the racial gift her bloodline had brought her, Fleur's smile practically glowed, drawing quite a few people's attention.

Hermione saw that Fleur was pretending not to have noticed Annette Bobbin, but the clothing she described was exactly what Bobbin was wearing today.

Bobbin frowned, straightened her back in irritated embarrassment, and coughed.

"Oh, I'm terribly sorry. I didn't notice you were here too." Fleur performed an elegant curtsey, but neither her tone nor her expression showed the slightest trace of apology. "I do hope I'll still be able to meet you at some dinner party in a few years, especially if our boss Granger plans to lower the average market price of Potions a little further... That will certainly be very interesting."

"Fleur, I think the current prices of Potions in the wizarding world are still quite inflated. I don't think simply adjusting them a little is enough. This should be a long-term goal for Umbrella." Hermione understood the implication in Albert's fiancée's sarcasm and smoothly joined in. As though she had not seen Annette Bobbin's outfit either, she rather awkwardly imitated Fleur, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she laughed. "By then, the diamonds on the green dress of the lady you just met probably won't be there anymore.