Harry Potter and the Veela Life Debt
By Jojobevco
Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to the Harry Potter story or characters. I do, however, reserve the rights for any characters I develop and the plot of this story.
Chapter 4
Meet the Parents
The next morning, Harry awoke feeling quite content. He never slept better than he did last night. He turned to see Gabrielle, head resting on his chest with her hand holding onto a fistful of his flannel pajama shirt. Harry gently shook her awake.
"Mmm, Good Morning, Harry."
"Good Morning, Gabrielle. How did you sleep?"
"Wonderfully," Gabrielle's eyes then snapped open and she turned to Harry, "oh no, what time is it? My parents will be here at ten."
Harry looked at his watch. It was a half-past eight. He informed Gabrielle, and then instructed her to, "go back to your room and get ready. We have a lot to do." Gabrielle nodded and went off.
Harry then climbed out of bed and headed to his bathroom. As he was showering and getting ready he started thinking about the meeting that was going to come. He first started with Mrs. Delacour, the easier of the two. While she might be upset about what happened to her daughter, she was also a Veela and would understand what happened.
As for Mr. Delacour, that was a completely different story. He may have grown up in a cupboard, but he has heard of the "What is your intentions toward my daughter?" speech and like every other male in the world, it scared him. In Harry's case, he wished he had another dragon to face down instead.
Therefore, with great reluctance he stepped out of the shower and got dressed. Harry then paced his room, until finally deciding on what he was going to say. He emerged at nine and sat at the table with Gabrielle who was dressed in casual robes. They started to talk about the upcoming meeting and Gabrielle sensed his nervousness.
"Harry, you shouldn't be so worried, my parents will love you. They understand what's happening."
"I'll believe it when I see it. I really am truly not good enough for you Gabrielle. You deserve a better person than me to look after you. Heck, I can't even look after myself. I always end up getting me and my friends and me in danger."
"Harry, if you hadn't put your friends and yourself in danger what would have happened, would it have been something worse? Would you have been in danger anyway?"
Harry thought about this. If Voldemort had gotten Flamel's stone, then he and his friends would have been in even more danger. If he hadn't stopped the Basilisk then Ginny would have died. If he hadn't rescued Sirius and Buckbeak, then they would have died. If he hadn't rescued Gabrielle then she would have died.
"You're right, things would have been much worse."
"See, everything is going to be fine, we may have to learn some things together, but things will turn out alright in the end. Besides, my parents will help."
Harry stilled again at the mention of parents. He started getting worried, again. However his worrying was interrupted by Dobby's appearance, warning him that the Delacours had arrived and would be flooing to his room in minutes. Harry and Gabrielle stood by the fireplace, but at a safe distance.
The fireplace glowed green and a beautiful woman stepped out with the grace and elegance of an angel. It was clear where Gabrielle's and Fleur's looks had come from. Gabrielle ran over and hugged her
"Mama!"
"Oh ma fille it is so good to see you safe and sound. And this must be your Bonded Companion."
Harry stepped forward and introduced himself. "Hello, ma'am, I'm…"
"'arry James Potter, very nice to meet you, and thank you for saving my daughter from the lake." She seemed to look him over for a moment before deciding, "I am pleased that you are my daughter's bonded companion, you two will be good for each other. Je m'appelle Apolline Delacour, you can call me Apolline." She hugged Harry who stiffened a moment in surprise before returning the hug. The separated as the floo glowed green again. Out stepped a rather plump man with a pointed black beard. Gabrielle ran over to him an hugged him as well."
"Papa!"
"Oh, my little girl! How are you, are you eating well, are these British batards treating you well? Oh wait until I get my hands on Albus for letting this happen!"
Gabrielle giggled at her father's antics. "I'm fine, all this heavy British food is going to my stomach, the people here are very kind, and this is Harry, my bonded companion."
At this point Monsieur Delacour glared at Harry, who was desperately trying to disappear. Unfortunately, his control of magic did not allow that. After Monsieur Delacour finished looking Harry over he said, "Let's go talk in your study for a few minutes, hmm."
Harry nodded and sighed. He led Monsieur Delacour into the study, who shut the door behind him. Just as the door was closing, he noticed Gabrielle was trying to follow him, but was being gently restrained by Apolline.
After the door closed, Monsieur Delacour turned to Harry, and asked him, "Mr. Potter, what are your intentions toward my daughter?"
Harry mentally went over what he decided to say when he woke up, "Monsieur Delacour, your daughter and I have been flung into a difficult situation, one we are trying to make the best of. I really do wish that your daughter was not in this situation. My life is not an easy one to live. However, I do care about your daughter and I will care and protect her to the best of my abilities, to my dying breath if need be."
"Ah, Mr. Potter that's all well and good, but you forget I am a father, specifically, I am a father of a Veela daughter. So, I suspect you are having feelings toward my daughter, and I want to know what you are going to do about it."
Harry gulped, this was the question that he had hoped wouldn't be asked, especially after he woke up this morning. "Sir, I will not deny that your daughter will be a beautiful woman. Nor will I deny that this is clearly going to be a long term event. So I will not lie to you." Harry paused here before continuing, to collect his thoughts, "If two people are in close contact for a long period of time, they will begin to have intimate feelings for each other. However, I will take any sort of lead about this from Gabrielle. I will respect her wishes in the matter."
This led Monsieur Delacour to start chuckling, then to laugh a very hearty laugh. "Oh, Harry, you should have seen the look on your face when I asked you that. Trust me, I know about what you're going through. Here, sit down, let me explain a few things."
For some reason, Harry felt immensely relieved about Monsieur Delacour's reaction. They promptly sat down on the pull-out couch.
"Harry, I must apologize for asking those questions, but I just wanted to be sure you are as nice and noble as the bond suggests. And I must say you have surpassed my greatest expectations."
He smiled before continuing, "Now I happen to know a thing or two about this bond, it is well documented in Gabrielle's family history. Her great-grandparents experienced the same thing, at about the same age you two did. So there is a close historical precedent for us to follow."
"The bond has started to adapt Gabrielle to what you think you need, I noticed that she had changed as soon as I entered. She is intelligent and wise, in her style and speech, yet she is also pure of heart and brave. Remind you of anyone you know?"
Harry pondered this for a moment; it sounded a lot like Hermione and Ron. "Yes, it sounds like the better qualities of my two best friends."
"Ah Miss Granger and Mr. Weasley," at Harry's look of surprise he chuckled, "don't think I didn't check up on you Mr. Potter before we met. Now, with regards to the ah, intimacy, question." Here they both blushed for a moment before Monsieur Delacour continued, "you can't take your 'lead' off of Gabrielle, because it will instead be mutual. You will know when the time is right, the bond will tell you. You may first deny it out of some sense of chivalry or not understanding what is happening. In which case it will push Gabrielle."
"What? Mr. Delacour, she is…"
"Slightly older than you, Mr. Potter. It is standard Veela physiology. We humans grow at times dictated by chemicals and hormones. Muggles have documented the phenomena thoroughly. Veela only grow when a combination of those hormones, magical ability, and mental preparedness unlocks the Veela's full power. It is an automatic process, one that literally happens overnight, but one that makes sure a Veela is prepared. In some respects, I think they have an advantage over humans there. Now, let's go out there before our women think that I have killed you and vanished the body."
Harry chuckled at this, and they both went out into the sitting area and started talking over tea. Apolline and Jean-Pierre, as he insisted to be called, filled in some more of the blanks that Gabrielle, in her modesty, had left out last night.
It turns out that her mother was not only a very sought after model, but also the head of her own fashion house, popular in both the muggle and magical worlds. The conversation between her and Harry later revealed that about half of the major fashion houses around the world were run by magical creatures, mostly Veela, except for one in the United States that was run as a halfway house for reformed Succubi.
It turns out that Jean-Pierre was not only involved in politics, but was seriously involved in politics. Currently he was serving as the Head of the French Magical Legislature and had a serious shot at winning the election for French Minister of Magic which would occur next month.
Then they proceeded to sign the papers that had been left by Ange Delaterre, the day before. They signed the form giving Harry custody, and the second form signing over their assets. Afterward, they sighed and Jean-Pierre turned to Harry, "I'll see to it that Gabrielle's possessions are transferred to you by tomorrow. Also, Gringotts will probably send you information about Gabrielle's trust vault."
Harry was surprised by the nonchalant reaction that the Delacours were giving to signing their daughter's life away. He questioned them on it, "Why are you so willing to sign your daughter over to me so easily?"
Apolline took this question, "'arry, this effectively happened yesterday when the bond formed. Gabrielle will continue to be our daughter. 'owever you will now be responsible for 'er. Signing these papers does not mean we love 'er any less, it is just bureaucracy."
Harry immediately started spewing out apologies, "Oh, I apologize for thinking any less of you. I just have never had a very good family life, and it just seemed like something my Uncle would have done."
Apolline went over and hugged Harry, "'arry don't worry, we understand."
And with that and a few short good-byes, the Delacours left through the floo.
Harry looked at his watch, it was almost noon. However, he was not hungry, so he decided to just sit and read another one of those books and try to get over all these emotions he's been feeling. Gabrielle curled up next to him on the couch as they read.
However, as soon as they were settled, there was a knock at the door. They stood and adjusted their clothes, remembering what happened last time McGonagall came in.
But it wasn't Professor McGonagall at the door.
It was Ron and Hermione.
Hermione had tears in her eyes, and was being supported by an uncomfortable Ron.
Harry sighed, realizing another emotionally charged conversation was about to begin.
Please Review! Thanks to those who have.
AN: Can anyone identify the obscure television reference in this chapter?
