Authors Note: Hello everyone! Here is another wonderful chapter for you all! Now that Gabrielle knows who Harry truly is, we can move on a bit with the story. We are both very excited to hear what you guys think! Reviews are greatly appreciated.
Speaking of reviews, WOW! You are all amazing! Thank you so much for your insights. It is so interesting to hear everyone's thoughts and your kindness is incredible.
Chapters 1-4 are currently edited and posted and Chapter 11 is out, all within a week, so we're feeling pretty good about ourselves. Hooray!
Also, to fully explain some of Harry's behavior and why it took so long for the reveal, is that I really wanted it to feel natural. Disappearing from an entire way of life is a HUGE deal and not something he ever wanted to let slip. If he would have suddenly said, 'yep it's time! I'll tell her the month we met!' It would feel very unnatural and rushed. He truly put everything on the line to tell her everything. I hope that helps a little bit to see into our minds when it comes to the pace of the story.
Again, thank you all and I hope you enjoy the next chapter!
Disclaimer: Harry Potter belong to J. K. Rowling.
As the weeks passed, the brisk spring slowly transformed into a fresh summer. The air was still cold and left the ground foggy in the mornings, but the effect was calming and brought forth a sense of restful anticipation throughout the country.
May was just beginning, and Harry honestly couldn't believe it had been almost an entire year since he disappeared.
Six years. Six years since the Final battle at Hogwarts. He stared out his window with his cuppa and thought back to where he was a year ago.
Never in his life did he think he would have a peaceful morning like the one he was experiencing now. With Spring sneaking away and the cusp of Summer edging in, he felt more satisfied with himself than he had in a long time.
The mere thought of his former life didn't riddle him with guilt and sadness anymore, and he firmly believed he had Gabrielle and Bernie to thank for that.
Bernie kept him occupied during work and with his studying, and Gabrielle was, well…Gabrielle.
The first week or so after Harry revealed himself to her had proved to be a very trying time indeed. He knew she was having trouble trusting him fully again, and he tried to be as patient and understanding as possible.
Harry told her everything he could but knew he probably forgot some information along the way. She would often ask questions just out of the blue before they decided to have another sit down to discuss any missing gaps within their stories.
Slowly but surely, they began to build their relationship back to the way it was. It was definitely different than before, but Harry knew it would take time.
He did think the most unusual request he received from Gabrielle was when she asked him to slowly show her only a few different parts of himself instead of banishing all the glamour spells from him each day.
Harry uncertainly obliged to follow her request and began walking around with long black hair that was pulled back in his signature Jake style, or short and messy brown hair, or striking green eyes with his scar showing. Harry inquired as to why Gabrielle had made such an odd request to which she replied, "I want to see the changes gradually, so it doesn't feel like I'm seeing two different people. It'll just help to set my brain straight."
So as was routine, Harry would reverse only one or two of his glamours each night when Gabrielle visited until she was comfortable enough to cast her Finite Incantatum.
There was still the fear that Gabrielle would run off and tell everyone she knew about the situation, but Harry had to admit that his anxiety and guilt had significantly been reduced since he revealed himself to her. He knew that if he did lose her, he would probably fall into another black hole as he did before. Whether that was a sign of love or desperation, Harry didn't know and chose not to think on it.
What also helped was the fact that Bernie kept him incredibly busy with his studies to become a Potions Master. The work at the Apothecary was easy enough to do with his eyes closed. The Potions Mastery, however, was an entirely different story.
When Harry had first worked at the apothecary and began studying the art of Potions, the pace was set agonizingly slow. So slow in fact, that Harry began to wonder why he ever thought potions was a difficult subject. The first few months were mostly learning how to prepare your ingredients accurately and how to detect good ingredients from bad. Also, how to compare high quality with sub-par materials.
This aspect of potions Harry could deal with easily and almost expected the entirety of his studying to be much of the same. Leisurely, laid back, and none too exciting.
How wrong had Harry been.
After a few weeks of beginning his Potions Mastery, he was required to buy all new materials as requested by Bernie. What came after was intensive drilling and brewing of every single potion Harry had brewed throughout his six years at Hogwarts (and what would have been his seventh year) in the span of a few months.
The easier part of the potion's mastery was the lack of essays he had to write. But if he didn't read or study his materials and was unable to recite the knowledge verbatim back to Bernie when requested, he would feel Bernie's wrath the rest of the day and need to brew that particular potion again to perfection in order to move on. If the brewing process required months to simmer, such as the Polyjuice Potion, he would have to learn the new material while simultaneously brewing the old.
There was a two-month period where Harry had to keep track of seven different potions at the same time, all of them requiring to be taken care of at different times of the day.
The training was intense, but Harry could see and understand potions better than he ever had in his life.
Bernie, it turned out, was a highly competent teacher. While his rules about potions brewing were strict, he was easy to understand and reassured Harry more than once that mistakes are common in potions. He never lessened the fact that an error could be deadly, but the reassurances were a welcome factor and something he never received from his Hogwarts education. Not to mention many of the upper-level Hogwarts potions Harry brewed had the exact same instructions as what was in his Advanced Potions book with the Half-Blood Prince's notes, so those potions actually came a bit easier.
Thinking back to potions at Hogwarts, he had to admit Professor Snape was a horrible teacher. While he greatly respected the man for everything he sacrificed during the war and considered him to be the bravest man who ever walked this earth, his anger and bitterness toward life hindered his ability to teach.
Fortunately, Snape's actions made sense to Harry after learning about the kind of pressure he was under during that time and what kind of life he led. Despite this, Harry always regretted not enjoying potions. The subject was one of his most looked forward to experiences when he first received his Hogwarts letter, and it was surely changing to be that way again.
Noticing the similarities of the instructions, Harry couldn't help but ask Bernie after scrutinizing every last word, regretting that he didn't have the textbook with him anymore.
"Bernie, are these your own personal instructions?" Harry inquired, pouring over the first handwritten page of The Draught of Living Death. Come to think of it; the handwriting is familiar… "This looks like Severus Snape's handwriting."
Bernie looked up from some old potions recipes to glance at what Harry was asking about, and gave a hearty laugh. "Ah, yes. Severus Snape was the last student I had complete his potions mastery with me." Bernie picked up the paper and perused the writing. "He completed the training so fast, I barely even realized I had a student. He brought this to me the day he started along with this ratty textbook full of writing. He skipped all the basic steps and went straight to advanced brewing, and then had the gall to tell me there was a better way to brew them! He was a git that man was, but we definitely had fun experimenting."
"Really?" Harry said, surprised. "I had no idea. How long ago was that?"
Bernie scratched his head thoughtfully, "I believe he was right out of Hogwarts, so he would've been seventeen at the time. Only took him a year and a half to finish."
Bernie handed the recipe back, walked into his office, and came out bearing a giant stack of notebooks. "These were the notes and experiments we did, what worked, and what didn't. You can look through them if you'd like."
Harry took the stack from Bernie and set it all down on the counter next to his assignment for the day. The papers before him were fascinating, and something he would peruse as Harry moved forward with his studying. Odd how things like this always seem to turn up. Harry thought.
Bernie retired back to his office as Harry completed his daily reading and emerged as Harry was finishing. In Bernie's hand was the familiar crystal vial, made and ready for Pierre Delacour. The stars within the bottle had changed to gold, but the silvery liquid had stayed the same since Bernie's last revision.
What level of potions must you have to be so in tune with ingredients and brewing and an unknown magical disease that you can still brew a potion for it? Harry wondered as he watched the golden stars appear and disappear within the silvery contents.
Bernie didn't say a word as he walked away from Harry, obviously expecting him to take the vial to the Delacour's for him. A sudden thought struck Harry. "Bernie, would I be able to help you brew this potion?"
"Absolutely the fuck not," Bernie said immediately. "One: you're not at that level yet, two: you need to master every other existing potion first, three: you're not that special."
"Oh, come on Bernie," Harry countered, "I'm sure you could use an extra hand."
Bernie scoffed and said, "Maybe in the future, but for now, your innocent eyes wouldn't be able to handle it. Lose your expert level potions virginity first." Harry sighed and continued his work.
~oOo~
Soon enough, Harry had spent the entire working day at the apothecary and now merely waited for Gabrielle to show up. They had planned to travel to Delacour mansion together that night to deliver Pierre's potion and then retreat to Harry's apartment for supper.
Harry was restocking some shelves of newly packaged potions ingredients when he heard the familiar jingle of the bell charm resound throughout the apothecary.
Gabrielle glided in and turned to peruse the shelves. "Good afternoon, Jake."
Harry smiled affectionately and returned her greeting. "I've only a couple more jars to put away, and then we'll be off."
The work was done in less than a minute. They stepped out the door with the vial in hand and said their goodbyes to Bernie, ready to disapparate.
They apparated to the front doors and dropped their hands to their sides. Harry had definitely noticed the lack of affection that Gabrielle had been showing lately, but he tried not to focus on it. He couldn't blame her after all.
When Gabrielle turned to look at Harry, she presented him with a dazzling and somewhat nervous smile. The caring look in her eyes alone was enough for immediate reassurance, and they walked through the double doors together.
The place seemed to be deserted except for a few baby gifts for Fleur and Bill that littered the counter and floor. Gabrielle peered around, curious as to where everyone had gone, only to decide that Pierre and Apolline were upstairs in their chambers.
"The potion needs to be administered soon," Gabrielle said, turning toward the staircase and dropping her voice to a whisper. "He can't even cast simple spells at the moment."
When they reached the top of the staircase, Harry could hear faint talking through the doors as they approached, what Harry assumed, was a small library or drawing room. Gabrielle took the lead and rapt her knuckles against the door before permitting themselves into the room.
Harry nearly stopped in his tracks as he took in the scene. Everything seemed normal until closer inspection. There were a few books propped on tables and chairs throughout the small chamber with various shelves of literature. Apolline was sitting straight on the edge of her seat next to Pierre. She held a cup of tea in her lap and looked as though she would be ready to send her cup flying at the slightest sound.
Pierre, on the other hand, was slumped down in a comfy looking armchair and he held his wand out in front of him. His arm was shaking near uncontrollably, and his hand was covered in…burns?
The couple stopped and waited as they entered and watched Pierre struggle with his wand. The mere thought of his magic seemed to hurt him.
Apolline set her tea down and said, "Alright, Dear. Try again." She readied her wand as well and let Pierre take his time. He needed a little help sitting up on his own as he was incredibly weak. For a moment, there was silence as he prepared himself to cast the spell.
"Lumos." BANG.
The entire room seemed to ignite in a blinding flame that dissipated at once. Harry had not heard a sound like that since the Battle of Hogwarts, and the shock of it sent his senses into overdrive. He wrapped his arms around Gabrielle and nearly swung her behind him to easier shield her with his body. He bent his head over hers and gripped his wand as the stinging light of the fire disappeared, ready to take the brunt of it with his back.
Harry's breathing was rapid and frantic, and he had begun to sweat. Gabrielle managed to turn her body to face him and looked into his eyes. Her eyes were calm and full of concern, though her breathing was frantic as well. She slowly raised her hand and placed it on his cheek in a silent gesture to make sure he was okay.
After realizing what he had done, Harry straightened himself and scanned the room a few times as he controlled his breathing, clearing his throat as he did so. Gabrielle gently touched the small of his back comfortingly, and Harry was able to calm down considerably at her touch.
Luckily, their interaction was so quick that Apolline and Pierre hadn't noticed. Gabrielle's father sat back in his armchair with an incredibly frustrated and sad look marring his features as Apolline cleaned up the mess his Lumos left behind. Now that Harry had a proper look, Pierre now seemed to be much weaker than before.
As the situation was addressed, Apolline gestured the couple to come closer to which they both obliged, if not a bit hesitantly. Gabrielle kept a careful eye on Harry as they stepped forward.
"Good afternoon, Sir," Harry said as they approached. Harry's voice was shaking slightly. "I believe we have something you may be waiting for."
Pierre opened his eyes and looked up to see Harry holding the crystal potion vial from Bernie. His eyes filled with the slightest tinge of hope as he said, "It looks different from before." Off to the side, Apolline held her breath as she waited for Harry's response.
"Bernie made a few edits, I believe," Harry said, kneeling down to him so they could be eye level. "Has this explosion business been happening long?" Harry inquired before anything else could be said.
Pierre sighed heavily. "Not to this degree."
"The use of magic has always sapped his energy, but it appears now that any time he tries, his magic rebounds and attacks him," Apolline confessed, her brows pulled together in an obvious state of worry. "It's never been this bad before."
Harry and Gabrielle both exchanged worried looks of concern and immediately held out the vial to Pierre. When he grabbed the vial, his arm shook from the pure weight of it. Has there ever been a time in History when one's magic would attack itself? Harry thought. The very idea disturbed him, and he couldn't help but linger at the weak form of Gabrielle's father, the bags under his eyes and the burns from his spells trailing up his arm. His previously plump body was now showing signs of significant weight loss.
Pierre only looked at the vial shaking in his hand. "If I can't get this under control, I may have to resign from my position."
A horrified silence filled the air before Apolline interjected, "Well if that's the case, you can stay and help us at the gardens." Everyone in the room knew she was trying to find the bright side of the entire situation, but the mood remained bleak.
A sad smile was the only response from Pierre as he removed the crystal stopper from the vial. He raised it to his lips and slowly began to drink.
With each swallow of the potion, his strength seemed to regenerate. Harry was amazed at the sudden transformation. His face became less sallow, the burns on his arms almost seemed to disappear, though Harry could still see the remnants of the spell's attacks, and he began to sit up straighter as the liquid poured down his throat.
Once the last drop had disappeared, Pierre set the bottle on the small table next to his armchair. The entire room seemed to pause with bated breath as he slowly stood and grasped his wand.
Instinctively, Harry stepped in front of Gabrielle and consciously tried not to grab her arm out of pure instinct. Gabrielle recognized his power stance and wrapped her hand soothingly around his arm, to signal that everything would be fine.
Apolline stood as well, wand at the ready. A quietly muttered Lumos came from Pierre and instantly, his wand was alight with the dazzling light of his spell.
The entire room seemed to breathe out sighs of relief, and Pierre's face lit up for the first time since Gabrielle and Harry had arrived.
Grasping his wand a bit harder and determination marring his features, Pierre prepared to cast another spell. As if on cue, Apolline conjured a target on the other side of the room. This must be nearly routine for them at this point. Harry thought.
An uncertain Flipendo shot out of Pierre's wand and hit squarely on the target, followed by a hastily and excited reciting of Rictusempra, Incarcerous, Stupefy, Duro, and finally, Confringo. Each spell more dangerous than the first, Pierre seemed exhausted yet satisfied as he looked down at his wand shaking slightly in his hand. An incredibly satisfied and relieved expression graced Apolline's features as did Gabrielle's.
Pierre sat back into his armchair, satisfied with his work and turned to Apolline. "Please inform the department that I will be in tomorrow."
"Are you sure, Dear? You really should rest."
"I will have rest enough tonight." Was Pierre's only response. He gently kissed the top of Apolline's hands affectionately and muttered, "Thanks, Love." They continued their conversation in hushed tones.
Harry gathered up the crystal vial and carefully slipped it into one of the pockets in his robes and turned toward Gabrielle. She still hadn't said much, but Harry could see the relief in her face, though she was still tense.
Harry made note that when she was upset or thinking, Gabrielle remained mostly silent and observant. Her mind must be spinning right now. Harry thought.
Turning to her, he raised his hand to gently move a strand of her hair behind her ear to get a better look at her eyes. Their eyes met briefly, and she seemed to relax her body instantly. Harry gave her a subtle smile to which she returned gratefully. It was as though in that unspoken moment, all their worry and uncertainty over the last few weeks had trickled away. Harry also felt the relief within his own body, and her bright, blue eyes sparkled radiantly and reflected in Harry's own, now dark brown eyes.
Harry realized his back was turned and, though he knew it was risky, silently raised his wand slightly and removed the glamour spell from his eyes. Green now reflected in blue and Gabrielle beamed openly, her mouth dropping open a bit in sudden realization of what she was seeing. They were so close he could kiss her. He could feel her breath gently brushing along his face.
To break their reverie, Gabrielle peered over his shoulder and dropped her eyes immediately. What neither of them expected was the fact that Pierre had been watching this little exchange between them, to which Harry was immediately embarrassed. He lowered his hand, quickly and silently cast the glamour spell back onto his eyes, and took a step away from Gabrielle, looking down to his feet. Gabrielle followed suit when she realized they're very private moment had been seen by another. Her father, no less.
Apolline had noticed as well but decided to break the silence that hung in the air like a thick fog. "Gabrielle, your father has decided to go back into work tomorrow, so I need to be at the ready at just in case." She brushed her long, blonde hair out of the way and continued. "Can you take care of the gardens for an extra day for me?"
Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed. "Papa, shouldn't you be taking at least one more day off?"
Pierre had immediately begun shaking his head, even as Gabrielle spoke, "I cannot take any more days off." He rubbed at his eyes and said, "there have been two more deaths in France. All seemingly related, but still, no one can pinpoint the direct cause."
Continuing to listen, Harry shifted uncomfortably. More deaths? Harry thought. Pierre continued, "I may not stay an entire day if that makes you feel any better."
"Yes, it would," Apolline interjected. "But in the morning, I will still need you, Gabrielle. So, go relax and have fun tonight because it could be a hectic day tomorrow."
Nodding her head in agreement, Gabrielle turned to leave and replied, "Yes, Mama." Harry heard a sigh from Apolline and Pierre alike, with Gabrielle's father eyeing him curiously as they left the quarters.
Once they reached the gate of the gardens, Gabrielle held out her hand to Harry, and they disapparated back to Harry's flat. Although this time, Gabrielle did not immediately lower her hand from his. Harry's stomach flipped in excitement at this small change. Perhaps not all was lost.
They entered his apartment and continued their little routine of making tea. Harry removed a few of his enchantments, leaving his eyes brown, keeping the length, and changing his hair color to black. Gabrielle had an amused look on her face when she stood up from her tea and came over to Harry. Now that they were alone in comfortable seclusion, they didn't have to worry about others listening in or watching them.
Gabrielle scanned over his features thoughtfully, before removing the glamour spell from his eyes, turning them back to their vibrant green. She smiled in satisfaction and stepped back to take him in fully.
"I like this look on you." She said smiling mischievously. "You should grow your hair out."
Harry laughed, amused at her comment and said, "Note taken." Gabrielle then silently removed the rest of his glamour spells, and his hair grew shorter and messier again.
They both sat and drank their tea while sharing comfortable conversations. Once they were finished, they unanimously decided to take a walk around a local park before supper rolled around.
Once Harry's glamours were back in place, they left the sanctuary of his apartment and began their peaceful walk.
Noticing a distinct lack of conversation, Harry tried to open up a discussion. "Are you okay, Gabrielle?" he asked uncertainly. "You've been awfully quiet."
Gabrielle sighed and glanced in Harry's direction. "Yeah, I'm alright. I guess I'm just a little bothered by what we saw today." After a questioning look from Harry, she replied, "My mother doesn't usually let me or Fleur see how bad Papa gets. That was completely new for me. She usually has me tend to the gardens."
"I see," Harry said. "At least that potion is working."
"Yes, but for how much longer? This is Bernie's third revision on that potion. How many more times can it be revised?"
She fell silent again, and Harry reached out for her hand to comfort her. When their hands brushed together, she looked up into his eyes and took it gratefully. Continuing their path, hand in hand, Harry decided it best not to say anything and just to be there as a silent supporter. Nothing he could say would be helpful anyway.
Eventually, the silence was broken by a timid question. "So, if you don't mind me asking, what was up with that reaction to Papa's spell?" She glanced back up to take in Harry's expression. "You seemed shaken up, to say the least."
A soft and somewhat embarrassed sigh escaped Harry's lips before he could stop it and he ran his fingers through his hair nervously. "I'm sorry about that. I haven't had a reaction like that in a while."
It was Gabrielle's turn to send him a questioning look for elaboration. "There were loud noises like that during the final battle at Hogwarts and it usually always meant either something had blown up or someone had lost their life. I guess it was just instinct."
Nodding her head slightly, Gabrielle asked, "Did you ever come in contact with that as an Auror?"
"Yeah, we did. Especially during some of our raids." Harry continued. "But the difference was I went in expecting some sort of fight. No way in hell was I expecting a fiery explosion from a Lumos."
Gabrielle nodded her head wholeheartedly in understanding and then asked her next question. "Did Hogwarts change since I had visited? What was it like before?"
Harry breathed out in amusement as he remembered all his fond memories of his first home. "It was brilliant. The moving staircases, the secret passageways, the passwords, the classrooms, the smells, the grounds, quidditch. Everything."
An incredulous laugh left Gabrielle as she exclaimed, "I remember those accursed moving staircases!" She nearly let out a cackle at the mere thought. "How could you even navigate? It was all impossible."
Narrowing his eyes playfully, Harry turned the questions to her. "Oh yeah? And what was so special about Beaxbatons?"
"Well, for one we start much earlier in age." A smug look stole over her features. "Most everyone starts at age nine, but my Madame Maxime allowed me to attend a year earlier to watch Fleur enter the Triwizard tournament. The deal was that if she was named a champion, I could stay. If not, I had to wait until next year. We both know how that turned out.
Second, one of the most famous wizards in the world attended Beaxbatons."
Harry scoffed good-naturedly, "Sorry to burst your bubble but Merlin, Albus Dumbledore, and I all went to Hogwarts."
Gabrielle nodded, feigning being deep in thought, "True, I will give you that. But we had Nicolas Flammel and his wife, Perenelle. Much of the castle is adorned and decorated in gold from them, and we even have a fountain named after them because of their generosity to the school."
Unable to help himself, Harry laughed at her expense. "There's no way he's more famous than freaking Merlin."
As if in spite of herself, Gabrielle also laughed with Harry. "Like I said. He's still the most famous alchemist in the whole world. It's a shame he had to die. I heard he was a great man."
"Yeah, I've heard that as well," Harry said. "Believe it or not, but I actually helped save his Philosophers Stone from Voldemort. Although looking back on it, it probably wouldn't have needed the saving if we'd just left it alone."
Gabrielle gave a skeptical look at Harry as if she didn't believe him. Still walking hand in hand and turning the corner, Harry defended himself. "No really!" He began to explain every detail of what happened during his first year at Hogwarts, his run-ins with Professor Snape, how they figured out what the Philosopher's Stone was from Dumbledore's chocolate frog card and finding Flammel's name, all the way down to the different tasks to save the stone and how his friends helped him every step of the way.
"Wow," Gabrielle said, astonished. "And you were all eleven?"
"Yeah," Harry confirmed, nodding his head. "Crazy first year, eh?"
"What in the world did your family think?" Gabrielle asked, eyes wide with wonder and astonishment.
Harry rustled his hair uncomfortably. "They never found out."
Gabrielle could sense his uncertainty and tilted her head, trying to read him through his expression alone. Harry could sense what she was doing and simply said, "That story is for another time. Besides, they were muggles and wouldn't have fully understood."
Her brows furrowed curiously, but she nodded understandingly, and they continued on their walk.
Harry turned the questions back to her. "Now that you know all about my first year at Hogwarts, what was yours like? I mean, after the whole year at Hogwarts with the Triwizard Tournament?"
Her face immediately brightened. "Oh, it was wonderful! No moving staircases." Harry chuckled under his breath, and she continued. "Each class had to learn to tend to the Abraxons and Pegasus'; the males and females were divided but we all attended class together; our classes were focused on healing and herbology, not to mention Defense Against the Dark Arts and Potions; and we also had the option of taking a muggle studies class if you grew up in a wizarding household to blend in with muggles, or a wizarding studies class if you grew up with muggles. You were required to take either depending on your background, and I certainly believe it has helped us blend in with society. Well, whichever culture you choose to be a part of, really."
Curiosity stole over Harry at the thought of such a class. "Wow. I wish we had a class like that." Harry stated. "What I wouldn't have given to learn how to blend in with wizarding society a bit better when I was eleven."
Gabrielle swung herself around as she grabbed both of Harry's hands and began walking backward. "See, you already agree with me that Beaxbatons is better." She gave him a mischievous wink and fell back to his side.
A hearty and sarcastic laugh escaped from the depths of Harry's chest as he said, "In your dreams."
They continued in this fashion for the duration of their walk, hand in hand until they arrived back at Harry's apartment. Once they stepped inside, Harry removed his Glamours entirely and made his way to the kitchen after removing his shoes.
More than once he thought about acquiring a muggle television, just to fill the space in his living room. He was at least grateful for the electricity and lack of candles and wandlight.
He began to make supper with Gabrielle at his side, helping where she could. They had begun to do this a few times before he revealed himself to her, and the routine felt just as natural as before. If he needed the sink, he would take her hand and gracefully twirl her about to maneuver himself into the correct spot, sending her musical laugh into the air. Her laugh alone sent Harry's heart soaring.
Gabrielle, in turn, would attempt to spin him as well, but only end up in a mess of tangled arms since he was taller than her.
With their meal finished, they ate comfortably while continuing their idle chit chat. Every time Harry made her laugh or smile, it felt like he had accomplished something incredible.
Together, they magicked away the mess with a Scourgify after their supper and stored away any dishes.
The hour was growing late, and Harry half expected Gabrielle to leave straight away; something he had grown accustomed to these past few weeks since she learned the truth.
But she lingered, looking as though she didn't want to leave. She didn't say anything as she looked toward the door and then back to Harry.
Lending her an appreciative grin, Harry closed the distance between them and kissed her hand. "I had a wonderful evening with you tonight Gabrielle."
Gabrielle smiled from ear to ear. "As did I, Harry."
It was the first time she had said his name, and the simple utterance alone sent shivers down his spine. He breathed out a satisfied breath and nearly closed his eyes in satisfaction. He looked down to their entwined hands and said, "Thank you for not giving up on me."
Squeezing his hands, Gabrielle replied, "You made it easy, Harry." Another shiver. "After speaking with you and spending time with you, I've fully come to realize that you really are the same person as before. It's just your looks that change. It's comforting to know and see daily."
Involuntarily, the knuckles on Harry's hand softly brushed the line of her jaw. "I'm so sorry for causing so much doubt."
"All is forgiven," Gabrielle said, almost breathless. Harry's hand stilled its gentle caress as their eyes met once again. This time, Gabrielle's hand made its way up to the back of Harry's neck.
As if on cue, Harry's heart began thundering away in his chest. All the extra blood pumping through his body all seemed to travel to the one area of his body he didn't want blood in at the moment.
But that didn't matter. Gabrielle leaned in; her eyelids heavy and her expression full of curiosity and want. Harry could feel the gentle grip of her hand on the back of his neck, and he carefully tilted her chin upwards to capture a better angle.
His other hand landed on the top of her hip and pulled her forward gently. Not enough for their bodies to touch, but to close the proximity between them.
Sweet Merlin, she was beautiful. And not just because of her Veela heritage. Everything about her from her looks, her body, her personality, her caring nature, her ability to logically think and understand in stressful situations, and most importantly, her ability to forgive him drove desire through every facet of Harry's being.
Their eyes were locked in an eternal stare, green reflecting in blue and blue reflecting in green. The ensuing effect creating waves of oceanic colors, completely changing the essence of one another.
Moving his hand from her chin to cupping the back of her head for support, Gabrielle closed the gap between them, closing her eyes slowly as their lips met in a tender kiss.
Her lips were cool and soft to the touch, and Harry didn't dare move more than she did. The moment was so perfect at that moment, their lips moving just enough to allow the other to feel every inch of the surface of each other's mouths. The tenderness of the moment sent the butterflies in Harry's stomach to fly about and send more heat downward. After not kissing for almost three weeks, the closeness they were sharing had been sorely missed.
Harry was allowing Gabrielle to call the shots on what came next. She sensed this and deepened the kiss, encouraging him to do the same. He gripped her waist a bit tighter and moved his hand around to hug her close.
When their bodies touched for the first time, Gabrielle let out a soft sigh through their kiss that nearly undid Harry. He had to stop himself from bucking against her and gently explored her mouth with the very tip of his tongue, drinking her in.
She moved her arms and grasped onto Harry's back to press them together even more than they were, her breasts heaving and feeling pleasantly soft against Harry's chest.
After what seemed like a pleasurable eternity, she lessened her grip and lightened the kiss until they broke apart. Not ready for the moment to end, Harry brought his hand back up to rest on the back of her head tenderly and closed his eyes while their foreheads came together. Gabrielle's eyes had remained closed, and they stood together in each other's embrace in comfortable and satisfied silence, their heavy breathing the only thing breaking that silence.
Harry was the first to open his eyes and step back timidly, not wanted to put an end to their intimacy. It had been so long since he had been genuinely intimate with anyone, and he physically craved her touch. But he still wanted to respect her boundaries, whatever those may be. Everything was still so new, and he didn't want to overstep.
However, the look on Gabrielle's face seemed to reflect his own thoughts. She didn't want their moment together to end. Her eyes were lidded with desire, and she graced Harry with a dazzlingly beautiful smile. "That was nice. To kiss you as Harry finally." She said, drinking in his features, her eyes roaming over his hair, his eyes, his scar.
"How does it compare with Jake?" Harry said teasingly, raising an inquiring eyebrow.
"I think you might know the answer to that question," Gabrielle replied with a snarky tone. Harry smiled playfully and bent down to brush his lips against hers one final time. The mere contact sent another wrack of tremors up his spine.
The shivers also seemed to effect Gabrielle as well because when Harry pulled away, they both appeared to be breathless. They locked eyes one last time before Harry said, "It's time for you to go home." He brushed away a loose strand of her hair from her face. "Your parents will wonder where you are and you have a busy day ahead of you tomorrow."
Nodding her head, Gabrielle took her wand out from inside her robes and turned toward the door. "Good night, Harry." At the utterance of his name once more, Harry's eyes lit up with pure joy and happiness.
Her wavy, blond hair brushed Harry's arms as she turned to leave. Harry checked to make sure no one was around outside before standing at the doorway without his Glamour spells in place. When she turned around, he waved gently and received another one of her radiant smiles. She turned on the spot, and the telltale POP of her disappararation signaled her leave.
