- Timeskip: Winter Break -
After that day, Harry had asked Fleur what her plans were for Winter Break. When she said that she was going to be staying at the castle, he offered up his apartment for her to stay in so that they could celebrate the holiday together.
Fleur had practically pounced him before smothering his face with kisses as she let out an enthusiastic 'Yes!'
When she had finally calmed down from her excitement, Fleur raced to the Beauxbatons carriage to get Madam Maxime's permission to leave before joyfully telling him that she could go.
Now, Harry sat with Fleur, Cho, and Marietta in their usual cabin on the Hogwarts Express as the train raced back to King's Cross Station.
It was a different feeling having someone else join them, but Fleur had long since become one of their group, and they were happy to have her ride with them. Cho and Marietta teased the couple mercilessly about what they would be up to all alone in Harry's apartment. Luckily Fleur proved to be adept in getting them back by offering to show them in person what she and Harry would do together, drawing blushes from the two girls.
…
After getting off the train, Harry and Fleur hugged Cho and Marietta goodbye before heading to the Floo and making their way to the Leaky Cauldron.
It was a few minutes walk to the street his apartment was on, and they both enjoyed looking at all of the decorations put up in Diagon Alley to celebrate the holiday. With the snow falling and all of the lights put up, Harry and Fleur had soft smiles on their faces as they walked down the main cobblestone path holding hands.
Reaching his apartment, Harry felt a little nervous about being alone with his girlfriend for so many days. "Do you-…I mean, are you-…"
The question was stuck in his throat. Even with all of his experience dealing with the opposite sex, thanks to Cho and Marietta, this was his first ever girlfriend, and he didn't want to mess it up by pushing too far.
Fleur noticed his struggle and brought her hand up to cup his cheek, rubbing her thumb soothingly against his skin. "What?"Fleur asked gently, "You can ask me anything, Harry. No matter what it is…"
His head leaned into her soft touch as his nervousness melted away. "Would you like to sleep with me in bed, or would you prefer I take the couch?"
Fleur smiled at him before leaning her head in for a kiss. Feeling her lips against his, Harry sighed into the kiss, relieved that the question didn't make things awkward.
Pulling back, she replied, "I do not mind sleeping with you. Though, I am not ready for us to…go all the way, just yet." She wasn't against having sex with him, in fact she was quite looking forward to it. But there was something that needed to be done before she was willing to go that far with him, and now wasn't the right time for that 'something'.
Harry nodded, though the 'yet' seemed to hang over them as their hands began to slowly caress each other's body.
Reigning in his desires, Harry stilled his hands as he asked, "Would you like to help me put up the decorations?" The apartment looked dreadfully dull compared to how festive it was outside, and he wanted the place to feel more in the season.
"Of course!" Fleur grinned happily, following him to the closet that held the decorations.
- That Night -
The atmosphere in the apartment was festive and joyful after the couple finished eating a tasty dinner that Harry had prepared for them. Fleur had gone out to a store in Diagon Alley to pick up some bottles of wine that would pair well with their meal. He had learned that Fleur and her family were very big into wine, and she was determined to get him interested in it as well.
When the plates were cleared and the lights turned off, leaving only the glow from the crackling fire in the fireplace, the air in the room turned stifling despite the winter chill from outside.
Standing in the bedroom, Harry watched as Fleur came out of the bathroom dressed in a thin pair of pink panties and one of his t-shirts. The clothing did absolutely nothing to detract from her beauty, despite the simplicity of what she was wearing. In fact, they made her natural beauty stand out even more to him.
Quickly changing down into just a pair of boxers, Harry's eyes widened slightly as she got into bed before lifting the covers and inviting him in.
Not one to refuse such an offer, he crawled into bed beside her. Fleur quickly cuddled up against him, her head resting on his naked chest as she happily sighed at the feeling of his warm body against hers.
Tilting her head up, she lifted a hand to pull his head down so that she could kiss him on the lips. Their mouths moved slowly as their tongues intertwined, keeping their motions slow and calm, holding back their obvious desires so that they didn't go too far.
Pulling back, Fleur kept her lips close enough to his that they rubbed against each other as she whispered softly, "Good night, 'Arry…"
"Good night, Flower." Harry whispered back just as softly, his arm going underneath her body to wrap around her waist and pull her closer to him as they closed their eyes.
It took only moments for them to fall asleep, their dreams were filled with images of their future together.
- Warning! - Lime - Warning! -
Harry slowly awoke to the feeling of a warm body pressed against his, and his right hand cupping something soft as a weight kept his left arm trapped.
Blearily looking through sleepy eyes, he noticed that they had moved in their sleep. Fleur was turned to her side, using Harry's outstretched left arm as a pillow as he spooned her body from behind.
Speaking of behind, Fleur was pressing her panty-clad butt back against him, subtly rubbing into his groin as his morning wood ground into her covered mound between the gap in her thighs. Fleur was slightly panting as his hand, currently fondling her chest, was held in place by her own.
Realizing that Fleur was awake, Harry subtly moved his head, nudging her white-gold locks out of his face before laying a gentle kiss on her neck.
The small bit of tender affection startled her, letting out a small gasp of surprise and arousal as he continued his ministrations, fondling one of her breasts as he ground his hips against her. The sensation of her butt rubbing against him while her thighs kept his member trapped, pressing into her damp panties covering her wet lips, made him groan out softly into her ear, drawing a small tremble of desire out of Fleur.
Continuing to lay kisses on her neck as their grinding picked up, their bodies moved faster against each other, quickly reaching their peaks as their breathing turned labored.
With a breathless gasp, Fleur came first, her willowy body shaking as her legs twitched. The hand holding his against her breast clamping down hard as she forced his palm to grind against the hardened nipple.
Harry continued his own frantic movements to help prolong her orgasm as he chased his own peak, which happened moments later. Groaning into her messy white-gold hair, Harry bucked his hips against her as he came.
Their sexes, trapped together between Fleur's soft thighs and separated by a thin pair of boxers and panties, soaked through their clothing and left a small wet spot on the bed.
- Lime Over -
Panting breathlessly, Harry chuckled as he spoke softly into her ear. "Good morning to you too, Flower."
Fleur's body shook as she giggled, laying there motionless as she luxuriated in the feeling of post-orgasmic bliss. "I could not help myself. You were pressing into me so…firmly, that I couldn't ignore it." The satisfied purr as she said 'firmly' told him that she was undoubtably pleased with his body's reaction to her presence.
Sighing, Fleur reluctantly pulled herself out of his embrace as she got up. Sniffing the air, her nose wrinkled cutely at the smell of sex in the room and the uncomfortable feeling of her soaked panties. "We both need a shower." She said, pointing to Harry's own soaked boxers.
"Together?" Harry asked, lifting an eyebrow curiously, unsure as to how far she was going to take this.
Fleur gave a sultry smirk as she teased, "Just as long as you can keep your hands to yourself."
Turning to walk into the bathroom, she pulled his spare t-shirt off before glancing back at him over her shoulder. A small bit of side-boob showing as she added, "Well…mostly to yourself."
Harry smiled as he followed her topless form into the bathroom, accepting her open invitation happily.
…
After a bit of teasing and groping in the shower, Fleur followed Harry into the kitchen as he prepared breakfast for them. Their quiet morning was interrupted by Hedwig flying in through the kitchen window with a letter.
"Hey there girl, who's that from?" Harry asked, rubbing her head affectionately before untying the letter from her leg. Written on the front, he noticed that it came from Sirius.
Curious to know what the man wanted to talk about, he opened the letter.
"Hey Pup,
I read in the Daily Prophet that you were chosen for the Tri-Wizard Tournament
…and even took first in the First Task!
Congratulations!
If you've got a moment,
I need to talk to you about some important stuff regarding the House of Black,
and your role as my Heir.
The address is:
12 Grimmauld Place,
Islington, London
-Sirius"
Turning to Fleur, who was watching him read the letter curiously, Harry said. "My godfather wants to speak to me later today. Will you be alright for a few hours?"
She nodded before swallowing a mouthful of scrambled eggs. "Oui, I need to go buy some more clothez if I'm going to be staying here with you. We mostly brought our uniformz with us from Beauxbatons, and I can't exactly go out in that every day."
Getting out of her chair, she walked over to Harry as her arms came up around his neck. "Just be sure to be back soon, okay? We need to get our Yule Ball outfitz and practice our dancing." Leaning in, she gave him a kiss, sighing happily as their bodies melded together perfectly.
Pulling back, Harry grinned, "I can't wait."
- 12 Grimmauld Place -
"Come on in!" Sirius gave a wolfish grin as he waved Harry through the front door. He looked even better than the last time Harry saw him.
The shaggy black hair looked styled instead of just a natural mess, his scraggly beard was trimmed into a goatee, and he wore a black suit that fit his thin frame. Even with better eating and a potion regimen from St. Mungo's, Sirius was never going to be able to lose Azkaban's effects on his body.
"Hey, Sirius." Harry greeted as he stepped into the house. Grimmauld Place was a dark, dreary building with long, thin hallways lit by gas lamps and covered in peeling wallpaper. It looked almost like a haunted house than the ancestral home of a wealthy family.
Sirius led the way through the cramped hallway, up a flight of creaking stairs, and into the drawing room. The drawing room looked practically unlived in; with large windows covered by dusty, moth-eaten curtains, and carpets that were pale and filled with holes after decades of use or abandonment. Two long, black leather couches sat facing each other in the middle of the room, next to a broken piano that probably once a beautiful piece.
The interior seemed to have very little effect on Sirius's mood as he motioned Harry over to the couches, laying across one of them haphazardly without preamble.
"What did you want to talk about, Sirius?" Harry asked, sitting down on the old, uncomfortable couch.
Sighing, Sirius ran a hand through his shaggy hair as he replied. "There's no easy way to start this, so let's just get right into it. When I made you my Heir…that wasn't something the other members of the Sacred Twenty-Eight were happy about, and have since tried to pass legislation to stop it."
Unhappy, was putting their reactions mildly. Several of the members tried to force Sirius to rename his Heir through shouting and threats, and when that failed, they tried to pass legislation to require all Heirs to be Pure-bloods.
Luckily for Sirius, the decision on who could become Heir of a House belonging to the Sacred Twenty-Eight was placed solely in the hands of the Lord or Lady of the House, and nothing could be done to change that. It was one of the first laws passed in their society, to ensure that each Lord maintains full control of their House, and they couldn't be forced to give up that control.
Dumbledore came through big time, shutting down their attempts with the support of those who willingly backed the Headmaster's decisions, even if they personally didn't like the thought of Harry taking over as Lord of the House of Black. The old wizard couldn't force legislation through on his own, but he could at least stop them from passing some that were ridiculous.
Their conversation continued in the same manner for the next hour, with Sirius giving tips on how an Heir was supposed to behave, and what was expected of a Lord of a House in the Sacred Twenty-Eight. Everything he could remember from his lessons with his father, Sirius shared with Harry.
When Sirius got up to use the bathroom after taking a small break, Harry remembered that one of the Horcruxes was kept in this house, and took the chance to search the room.
'If I'm not mistaken, Kreacher should have kept Slytherin's Locket somewhere in this room.' Harry thought, opening some of the cabinets that were against the walls of the room, until he finally stumbled upon a cabinet hiding a small cot with several items crammed into a corner by the pillow.
A glimmer of gold shined amongst the items, and Harry grabbed a dirty cloth lying next to the small cot to grab it, pulling the locket out of the small space before quickly stuffing it in his pocket.
He didn't want to risk touching it and ending up cursed, there was a sinister feeling coming off the Locket that felt exactly like the other Horcruxes.
Closing the cabinet, Harry heard the sound of a whip-like crack behind him.
Quickly spinning around, Harry was met with the sight of an old House-elf with bloodshot eyes glaring at him. "What are you doing, nasty little Half-blood?" Kreacher scowled.
Panicking, Harry remembered something Sirius explained to him earlier. While an Heir had no power over the House's dealings, they could at least command the servants of the House. Drawing himself up and squaring his shoulders, Harry replied, "What I do is none of your business. I order you to forget that you saw me, and go back to cleaning this house."
Kreacher glared at him before his House-elf magic compelled him to obey. With another crack, Kreacher disappeared.
Harry breathed a sigh of relief, reaching a hand up to wipe away the bead of sweat on his forehead. He didn't like having to order the House-elf around like that, but there was no way he was going to allow Kreacher to interfere with him taking the Horcrux.
Plus, Kreacher was a psychopathic racist who would gladly kill anyone who wasn't a Pure-blood just for shits and giggles. The last thing Harry was going to do, was feel pity for ordering him away.
…
Returning to his apartment, Harry placed Slytherin's Locket on the bed without letting his skin touch it.
Looking over the Locket, he noticed that it was made of heavy gold, and had a serpentine 'S' made of glittering emeralds inlaid on the front. Nowadays, with the amount of jewels, gold, and the historical value of the Locket, it would easily be worth quite a lot to the right buyer.
Part of him wanted to call Death immediately, but after thinking it over, he decided to wait until Fleur returned.
Having to keep Death a secret for so long was weighing on him, and Harry didn't want to keep any secrets from Fleur if they were going to move forward with their relationship. Granted, this was a rather big secret, but he hoped that she would prove to be someone he could trust with it.
So…he was going to take a leap of faith.
"'Arry, I'm back!" Fleur's melodic voice rang out as the door shut behind her.
His heart skipped a beat at the sound of her voice. He had been nervous about facing the dragons, but the thought of Fleur leaving him after learning the truth honestly terrified more than all of the dragons combined.
Walking out of the bedroom and into the living room, he smiled nervously as he watched Fleur place her bags down on the couch. "Welcome back. How was shopping?"
"It waz good! While the clothing iz not up to France'z standard, it iz more than decent enough…" Her tone started off happy, but trailed away as she noticed his nervousness. "'Arry? What iz it?"
Sighing, Harry motioned her towards the bedroom.
Confused, she silently followed behind him as he pointed at the golden locket on the bed. She visibly flinched away from it as its sinister presence had her Veela instincts terrified. "'Arry! What iz that?!"
Taking a deep breath to settle his nerves, Harry replied. "There's something I need to tell you…"
And he did, for over an hour he explained everything. From his first meeting with Death, to explaining what Horcruxes were, and that he had to find and destroy them in order to defeat Voldemort once and for all.
Nothing was held back, and during his explanation, Fleur had moved to sit on the bed, keeping as far away from the locket as possible while he spoke.
When Harry finally reached the end, he waited silently for her response.
"…this is a lot to take in." Fleur muttered, her eyes drifting back and forth between Harry and the locket as she tried to process everything. The severity of the conversation, and the mind-boggling revelations, caused her to unknowingly switch back to French.
Finally, Fleur seemed to pull her thoughts together as she looked at him. "It all seems…impossible." When he went to respond, she held up a hand. "I'm not saying I doubt you, but…" She trailed off, shrugging helplessly.
Harry stood there stumped. There wasn't really anything he could say at this point to make her believe him.
That's when a thought struck him…if he couldn't use words, then he'd use actions. "I know what would prove it to you." He replied.
Her sapphire blue eyes focusing on him in surprise as he took a deep breath before calling out, "Death…"
…
It had been some time since Harry last called on Death. Their last meeting after he had destroyed the Dementors seemed almost like a lifetime ago.
But he would never forget the sight of black energy creating a tear in midair that split open into a portal. A pale foot stepped through, followed closely by a woman's body, cloaked in that unmistakable hooded black robe. The wide hood casting a shadow over the top half of a gorgeous pale face, a few strands of ebony locks peeking out from underneath the hood.
Fleur sat frozen on the bed, her eyes wide and jaw dropped as Death's black-painted lips stretched into a smile. "Hello, my love. It's been a while."
Harry smiled back, opening his arms as he welcomed Death with a hug. "I know, but a lot has happened." He muttered, feeling his lover sneakily reach down to grab a handful of his ass and give it a squeeze. Leaning his head down to peer under her hood, he chuckled at the pitch-black eyes staring mischievously back at him.
As they let go of the hug, Death glanced at the other person in the room. "Yes, I can see that." She commented, watching as Fleur's brain looked on the verge of shutting down.
Eventually, Fleur's mouth started moving as a question fell out, "Wh-Who are you?"
Death smiled, and Harry had to foolishly admit to himself that he was surprised Death understood French, before realizing that she probably knew every language on Earth.
Chuckling as she spotted Harry smacking his forehead, Death stepped over to stand in front of Fleur before reaching out a pale hand with black-painted nails to softly cup her chin. "I am she that is found at the end of all things. That, which none can escape, and yet so many try..." A chilling black energy outlined her frame as pitch-black eyes gleamed down into sapphire blues. "I…am Death."
Fleur's breathing increased as a panic attack set in. Harry spotted this immediately as he raced over so sit by her side, drawing her into a hug as he held her shaking form. "It's okay, Flower…she's not here to hurt you." His voice soft and comforting as he tried to offer any support he could.
His presence helped, the repeated assurances that 'It's okay, Flower' echoing in her ears as she used his voice to steady herself and come down from the rising panic.
Hesitantly turning her gaze away from Death, Fleur stared at Harry as she breathed out, "You were telling the truth."
Harry nodded wordlessly, his emerald eyes gazing concerned at her as she tried to come to grips with everything.
The bedroom was quite for several moments, the only sound coming from Fleur's erratic breathing that slowly eventually returned to normal.
When she had finally calmed down enough to speak again, she asked. "Why? Why tell me this?" Turning to Death, she asked, "Why reveal yourself to me?"
"Because I care about you, Fleur." Harry's voice replied, bringing her attention back to him. "I don't want there to be any secrets between us, and if we're to have a future together, I needed you to know."
"I…I see." Fleur glanced back and forth between Harry and Death before settling on Harry. "I will keep this a secret. I swear." A small bit of relief filled Harry at that, grateful that she wouldn't tell anyone. But there was always the chance that someone might use Legilimancy on her to take the information from her head.
Fleur realized what he was thinking as she laid a slightly shaking hand on his own. "You do not need to worry, 'Arry. A Veela's mind is…different. Legilimancy does not work on us."
A calm voice spoke up, startling them. "Indeed. A useful skill of your kind…makes you uniquely suited to carry this knowledge." Death nodded, stepping away from the couple as she moved to where the Locket sat on the other side of the bed. "Now then, I believe you called me here for this, yes?"
The change in topic nearly gave Harry and Fleur whiplash as they slowly got up from the bed.
"Another soul fragment…" Coating her hand in chilling black energy, the once sinister feeling of the Locket faded away with the destruction of the Horcrux. Handing the Locket over to Harry, Death smiled. "Well done, my love. Just two more to go."
Fleur blinked at the name; her mind finally calmed down enough to realize what Death was saying. "Why do you call him that?"
Harry's face paled at the question, and before he could respond, Death replied in an amused tone. "Because…he and I are lovers." When Fleur's eyes flew wide open, Death chuckled. "Is that a problem? I know that you both are together, and I know that your kind has a different opinion on these types of things."
It was Harry's turn to look glance at Fleur and Death, confused as to why Fleur suddenly blushed. "What do you mean by that?"
Instead of answering, Death motioned to the blushing Fleur, who cleared her throat awkwardly before replying. "You have to understand, 'Arry, that Veela are an all-female race. Any children born of Veela will be Veela…there is no such thing as a half or quarter-Veela, despite what we present to the world."
Seeing his nod, she continued. "Because so many others view us as creatures, and most men fall prey to our allure, there are very few who we deem worthy of becoming intimate with. Our lack of options means that sometimes…sometimes a Veela will share her mate with other women, to ensure that our people do not die out."
Harry blinked as his mind slowly comprehended what she was saying. "Oh…"
"It's why I've never said anything about the closeness between you and Cho and Marietta," Fleur revealed. "I see how much you care for them, and how much they care for you. And after all of the time I've spent with them, I've come to see them as dear friends. And I do not mind their wanting to be with someone as wonderful as you."
A soft smile graced her lips as she added, "Perhaps even one day, I will come to see them as sisters."
Harry smiled at that, he was happy to hear that his bestfriends and his girlfriend were becoming close, and let out a sigh of relief that there were no hurt feelings about his relationship with Cho and Marietta.
"Now that we have that settled, it's time to discuss your reward for bringing me another soul fragment." Death spoke up, moving the conversation forward as she held out a hand, summoning her black energy that coalesced into a single potion.
"What is it?" Harry asked, reaching out to take it. The liquid of the potion was rainbow colored, with small swirls moving around inside of it.
"If you are to be prepared for the events yet to come, you will need to be stronger than you are now." Death explained, "I cannot just give you power, but I can age your body a few years, at least to the same age as your mate. That should grow your magic enough to be able to handle the challenges ahead."
Glancing at Fleur to get her opinion, she nodded back. Sighing, Harry quickly downed the potion.
It took a second for the effects to start. His entire body tingled from head to toe before his nerves flared, causing him to groan out in agony. Dropping the potion to the ground, Harry fell to his knees as his vision swam.
Fleur was immediately kneeling at his side, running her hand through his hair as the other rubbed his back, frowning in worry as the skin underneath his clothing rippled.
It took a few minutes for the changes to settle, and when Harry finally stood up, his body felt noticeably different.
Looking over himself, Harry realized that he had grown a few more inches, now at a tall 6'2", barely passing over Fleur's 6'0". His arms and legs were longer, and his four-pack had become a defined six-pack that caused lustful smiles to spread across Fleur and Death's faces.
The most surprising thing was how much magic he felt flowing through his body. "It feels strange." Harry commented, moving his taller body around to get used to his new coordination as his magic practically sang happily. "But…better, like it was something I was always meant to be."
"You will need to rest soon." Death cautioned, "Your body and magic are still settling in their new state, and your senses need time to adapt."
Walking up to his, she reached up to his now taller frame and gently pulled his head down slightly. Bringing him into a deep, tongue-filled kiss, she ran her hands over his frame, admiring the muscles underneath his clothes. Death finally pulled back as she panted, "I will see you soon, my love."
Turning to Fleur, she continued, "And I hope to see you as well. You are now part of this, and your assistance will help see him through these challenges."
Fleur nodded as she watched Death smile at them both before leaving through the portal. The room going quiet after her departure.
- Timeskip: Yule Ball -
After Death had disappeared, Harry and Fleur sat down to talk about their plans for the future. Right now, Harry knew that one of the Horcruxes left was currently kept in Bellatrix Lestrange's Vault in Gringotts, while the other (Nagini) would most likely be at Voldemort's side.
It had come as a small shock to Fleur that Voldemort still lived, but nowhere near as groundbreaking for someone who wasn't from magical Britain. The rest of the Magical World was far less afraid of Voldemort, having dealt with more powerful and more terrifying Dark Lords like Grindelwald.
They had to put their thoughts on Horcruxes to the side as the date of the Yule Ball approached. Fleur had sent a letter to her mother Apolline, asking for ideas while they practiced their dancing.
Instead of receiving a simple letter, Apolline had sent back two boxes containing dress robes for both Fleur and Harry. When they looked through what she sent them, the couple had to admit that it was far better than anything they would likely to find at Diagon Alley.
After a nice dinner date the night before Yule, they returned to the apartment to pack some clothes before getting to bed early so that they could wake up in time to reach the Hogwarts Express.
- Hogwarts -
The Entrance Hall was packed with students, all of them milling around waiting for Eight o'clock when the doors to the Great Hall would open.
Harry stood next to Krum, who wore a blood-red tunic and cape, with black trousers and boots, looking similar to the typical Durmstrang uniform. Though, all of the Durmstrang students wore similar attire, so Harry figured that maybe it was their formal attire for events like these.
Glancing down to make sure his clothing was neat and proper, Harry had to marvel at Apolline's talent for clothing.
He was dressed in formal black robes and pants, but they were tailored to fit his body perfectly, accentuating his broader frame and more mature body.
Fleur had actually sent his measurements to her mother when asking for opinions on what to get, and the woman had come through spectacularly.
Underneath the robe was a black waist-coat with gold lining over a white button-up shirt and a gold tie. All of the material felt like silk against his body, and Harry had to remind himself to buy more clothes from Apolline later, if this was what the Delacour family usually made at their business.
Spotting Cho and Marietta coming down the stairs, Harry smiled as they approached, subtly trying to adjust his pants at how good the two of them looked.
Cho was dressed in a beautiful dark-blue, Chinese-style dress, decorated with the Ravenclaw eagle in small glittering blue crystals. The way that the dress clung to her athletic frame accentuated her more subtle curves beautifully.
Next to her, Marietta was dressed in a typical style of dress, with a tight waist and ruffled lower region. The upper part of her dress showcased her large breasts nicely, without being too scandalous. The dress itself was in a blue not unlike the color of the crystals on Cho's dress, and had a pattern of small decorative eagles in a dark-blue that perfectly matched the material of Cho's dress.
When Harry caught their eyes, he grinned as he moved his eyes back and forth between their dresses. Catching his hint, they grinned back as Marietta wiggled her eyebrows, drawing a laugh from Harry as he walked over to greet them.
"You both look amazing!" He exclaimed, pulling Marietta into a tight hug that pushed her breasts into his chest. As he leaned down to kiss her on the cheek while she did the same, Cho spoke up from the side.
"Us! Look at you! Did you get taller?" She asked, quickly pulling him into a hug after he let go of Marietta. Drawing back from the hug slightly, she looked him up and down. "Wow, you look…"
"Hot!" Marietta purred, her eyes stripping him down as they raked over his new frame.
Chuckling, Harry noticed that Marietta had let her reddish-blonde hair out of its braid and done up in curls that bounced when she moved. Cho had gone and done her long, shiny black hair up into a bun, with a few strands framing her face. They both had put on a light amount of makeup, nothing crazy, but it highlighted their features nicely.
He had to admit…His bestfriends were beautiful.
The three of them made small talk as they waited for Fleur to arrive with the rest of the Beauxbatons group. Hearing the sound of the Beauxbatons students arriving, Harry's eyes scanned the crowd moving into the Entrance Hall. It wasn't until the last few students walked in that he finally spotted Fleur.
The sight of her took his breath away.
She was like a vision out of his dreams, dressed in a nearly skin-tight white dress with gold flower patterns that showed off every curve of her body. Her beautiful white-gold hair was done in a braid that wrapped around her head like a crown, and she wore a gold necklace that accentuated the neckline of her dress, with small golden earrings and adornments that decorated the edges of her ears.
It was like staring at Aphrodite herself, the way Fleur radiated beauty, and Harry had to force his eyes away from her body and up into her bright sapphire blue eyes that were hungrily staring back at him. Just as much as he liked how she looked; Fleur too loved how he looked in his robes.
Bypassing the awestruck students staring wide-eyed at Fleur, Harry quietly approached her before lifting up her hand to kiss it. "You look magnificent, Flower." Her body shook pleasantly at the rumble in his voice.
"And you clean up nicely, 'Arry." She made sure to put extra emphasis on her accent as she said his name, enjoying the way he gulped. It had become a bit of a game between them, her trying to coax his desires out as he struggled to reign them in.
Their teasing was interrupted as Cho and Marietta came over to gush about Fleur's dress, commenting on how beautiful she looked as she gave the same compliments back. Their conversation was quickly cut off by the sound of the doors to the Great Hall opening, allowing the massive gathering of students to filter into the room.
Harry and Fleur waved Cho and Marietta into the Hall as they stood outside the doors, waiting with Krum and his date for the Champions to be called in. Harry had spotted Hermione earlier as she walked into the Great Hall with Cedric, dressed in a pretty pink gown that matched Cedric's pink tie.
'Good for her,' he thought. The two of them made a surprisingly good couple, far better than her and Ron in the storybooks. 'Then again, anyone would have been a better match over Ron.'
Speaking of the Ron Weasley, Harry had heard that he had to be held back a year after failing one too many classes again. And rumor had it, Neville Longbottom was looking like he would have to do so as well, with how badly he was doing in Defense and Transfiguration.
…
Once everyone was in the Great Hall, Minerva came over to the Champions, dressed in fetching Gryffindor-red dress robes that couldn't fully hide her large chest.
Minerva smiled happily at Harry, taking in his appearance with an approving eye before beckoning the Champions into the Great Hall.
The walls inside of the Great Hall were covered in sparkling silver frost, and hundreds of garlands containing mistletoe and ivy crossing the starry black ceiling overhead. The usual House tables had vanished; replaced with hundreds of smaller, lantern-lit ones that seated a dozen people each.
As they entered one after the other, Krum and his date in front of Harry and Fleur, everyone applauded as the Champions walked through the parted crowd. They smiled and waved as they moved up to the large round table at the top of the Hall where the judges were sitting.
Harry spotted Cho and Marietta seated at a table of Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs near the judges table, and gave them a little wave before pulling out Fleur's chair for her as they all sat down.
Ludo Bagman, who sat two seats over in bright purple robes with large yellow stars, clapped just as enthusiastically as any of the students, his red cheeks giving away how much alcohol he had already consumed. Madame Maxime applauded politely from her seat at the table, as Dumbledore smiled happily at the Champions. Karkaroff gave a cold smile that didn't reach his eyes as he motioned Krum over to the vacant seat next to him.
There was a fifth seat at the table meant for Crouch, but because he was still recovering at St. Mungo's, would be unable to attend the festivities. Instead, the seat was occupied by the unmistakable red hair of a Weasley.
Since Harry knew of only one Weasley in the Ministry, this had to be Percy.
Thankfully, Harry and Fleur sat just far enough away from him to make any conversation he would try to start unlikely to happen. And that turned into a blessing as they overheard him speaking to anyone who would listen about cauldron thickness, Ministry filing, and everyday reports.
…
The meal was fairly simple, Harry picked at a lite chicken salad as Fleur daintily ate a small bowl of Bouillabaisse, her favorite stew that she couldn't get enough of. He had actually learned to make it for her while they stayed at his apartment, wanting to do everything he could to make her feel at home. Something she was extremely grateful for, if the hour-long make-out session was anything to go by.
When everyone had finished eating, Dumbledore stood up before asking everyone to do the same.
Once everyone was on their feet, he waved his wand at the room, sending all of the tables zooming back along the walls. With the center of the room now clear, he conjured a raised platform as several musical performers came in through a side door before setting up their instruments.
Harry held out his hand for Fleur to take as they made their way over to the dancefloor with Krum and his date.
Getting into position, he was thankful for the many hours of practice they had done, his muscle memory taking over as they spun and twirled their way through a typical dance for the magical world.
Everyone watched as the two couples danced to the tune, Harry and Fleur lost in their own little world as they stared into each other's eyes. Their practicing at his apartment had been full of laughter and fun. Whereas this…this was all silently growing passion and desire, reflected in their sapphire and emerald stares that never once broke.
There was a growing tension between them that they both knew meant something would happen after the Ball was over. And as song after song played, they barely noticed anyone around them.
Eventually, they broke away to dance with Cho and Marietta, who were also experiencing their own sexual tension as they made any excuse they could to rub their bodies together. It was an incredible evening for the four of them.
The Ball slowly wound down as midnight approached, and Cho took Marietta by the hand before leading her girlfriend back to their dorm, waving goodbye to Harry and Fleur before they disappeared up the staircase.
Now alone, Harry watched as Fleur seemed to think about something deeply for a moment before steeling herself. Grabbing his hand, she led the way up to the Seventh-floor and over to the Room of Requirement.
Pacing back and forth, a door appeared that she quickly opened before pulling him in and shutting it behind them.
- Room of Requirement -
Fleur had chosen to go with a beautiful room, decorated in silk drapes and a large, comfy bed surrounded by candles that set the mood.
Gently grabbing his hands, Harry watched as she took a deep breath. "Before we go any further, there's something I need to do first." Fleur whispered, her voice sounding almost afraid. "If our relationship is going to grow into what I hope it will be, you need to understand what it means to be with a Veela."
He nodded silently, not wanting to interrupt her. "Being a Veela means that if we ever have children, they will all be Veela. There is no such thing as a male Veela…" Fleur stated, "And when you take on the Lordship of House Black…I cannot give you a male heir." For the first time in her life, she was honestly upset about being a Veela. She knew how important it was for British Lords to have male children for heirs, and the fact that she couldn't give that to him stung more than she thought it would.
Harry had explained to her the day after meeting Death that he had met with Sirius about being his Heir, and she had been completely supportive of it. But there was always been a small sadness in her voice whenever it was brought up.
He never realized that she would be so worried about something like that, and quickly spoke up to reassure her. "I never thought that was something you were so worried about."
Wrapping his arms around her, he felt her head rest against his shoulder as he spoke softly. "I don't care about something like that…I would rather have all the daughters in the world, if it meant being with you."
Fleur sighed as she wrapped her arms around him in return, "But they will never accept you having a creature as a wife." She replied, the way she said 'creature' made him scowl as he pulled her closer against him. He hated whenever someone referred to her as a creature, and even more so when she called herself it.
Harry thought that the British magical community's idea of what was and wasn't a creature to be a completely flawed system. If he was going to be a Lord of the Sacred Twenty-Eight, he would do everything possible to change the laws, or they could go fuck themselves. "If they can't accept you for the amazing, wonderful person that you are…then there's no reason why we have to stay in Britain."
Fleur's head jerked back from his shoulder as she gasped, staring at him wide-eyed as her sapphire blue eyes searched his emerald green to see if he was serious. When she noticed that he was completely serious, she asked, "You would leave Britain for me?"
Seeing him nod, she couldn't believe it, "But it is your home!"
"No," Harry shook his head, making sure to keep eye-contact with her to convey his seriousness. "You…are my home. And if that means following you to France after graduation, then that's what I'll do."
Speechless, all she could do was pull him into a deep, passionate kiss as her body rubbed against his. Their wondering hands caressing anything they could grab before having to wrench themselves apart.
Panting, Fleur stared at him for a moment.
Taking in his swollen lips and tussled hair, and the love and desire shining in his eyes, she had to keep herself from tearing his clothes off right then and there. "If you are certain…then I need to know if you can accept all of me…including my more primal side."
Seeing him nod, her body started to ripple as she changed. Her gorgeous face shifting into a bird-like head with a beak as her arms and legs grew talons, the skin changed into a rougher texture. From her shoulders, two scaly wings grew out of her back before spreading out like an angel as her bird-like pupils stared at him, looking for any signs of disgust.
Harry stayed quiet as he took in the changes to her body. Sure, she looked far more dangerous in her Veela form, but she was still very much 'Fleur' in his eyes.
Reaching a hand out, he gently cupped her cheek, running his thumb against the edge of her beak as he made a point of looking her up and down before staring into her eyes. "You still look like Fleur to me."
Leaning his head in, he placed a kiss on her beak as she stared at him wide-eyed.
Her body immediately changed back to her more human form as she practically shoved her tongue down his throat, her hands came up grab his raven-black hair as she expressed how much his words and action meant to her.
Moaning at the taste of him, she pulled back from the kiss just enough that their lips brushed against each other as she panted out, "I love you."
Despite the passion of their kiss, there was nothing but pure love in her tone as she smiled.
Harry's heart pounded in his chest at her words, before taking a breath as he replied. "I love you too."
Smiling at each other like the love-struck teens they were, Fleur stepped back before reaching behind her and grabbing the zipper of her dress.
Hearing him gulp as he watched the white dress fall off her shoulders and pool at her feet, Fleur giggled at his expression before purring out seductively, "Then prove it…Make love to me, 'Arry."