AN: This takes place in a slight AU that may one day be written, but does not require any external knowledge of, just know if anything seems off with canon that is the reason.
Sirius and Kreacher had outdone themselves for Christmas this year. In addition to the usual Christmas tree, garland strings, mistletoe, and Christmas hats on the elf heads, Sirius had enchanted the walls to have red and gold reindeer bounding around and somehow got his mother's portrait's screams to turn into Christmas carols. Meanwhile Kreature had made a feast to rival Mrs. Weasley's best, with plenty of butterbeer, fire whiskey, and assorted other drinks to keep the cheer going strong.
Sirius was telling Tonks stories about the Marauders that had Remus trying physically to cover Padfoot's mouth. All three had gone through several drinks in a short amount of time, and it showed in their ruddy complexions and boisterous merriment. Molly scolded the twins for the latest prank they pulled on Ron and Ginny, though no one could miss the smile she was trying desperately to hide, and Hermione was deep in conversation with Arthur about the mechanics of how a fan cools a room. Even Mad-Eye Moody had a glass of eggnog, for once without a scowl on his face and nary a bark of CONSTANT VIGILANCE.
Grimmauld Place wouldn't have had a hint of the usual gloom were it not for Harry Potter and Fleur Delacour. There was a tension between them ever since the night of Slughorn's Christmas party. The night Harry confessed. They hadn't spoken since, and his mood spiraled further down with each passing day.
Harry, for his part, decided the best way to handle the situation was to stay locked up in his room. He wasn't going to let his sour mood dampen the Christmas spirit Sirius worked so hard to create. It had the bonus effect of making Fleur's distance less noticeable.
Harry was pulled from his brooding by a knock on the door. He trudged over and opened it, revealing his best friend, Ron Weasley. Ron looked at Harry appraisingly.
"Hey mate, you gonna stay in there all night or are you going to join us?"
"I'd just kill the mood," Harry said, "I'm not exactly up for celebrating right now."
"I figured," Ron replied, "makes me glad I wasn't at Slughorn's thing, given how everyone's been acting after. But Hermione and I reckon there's something missing down there right now, and I'm pretty sure it's you. Can't really celebrate knowing you're up here feeling miserable. At least let us try to cheer you up."
Harry sighed. Of course his pity party was affecting his friends. It couldn't be too bad, right? Maybe Fleur was staying in her room too, and he wouldn't even have to feel awkward not talking to her. He nodded to Ron.
"Guess I better make an appearance then," he said. Ron gave him a grateful smile.
There was a tendency, Harry thought to himself, for things he was dreading to be forced front and center at the worst times. As he descended the steps with Ron, the first thing he saw was Fleur Delacour. She was sitting at a table by herself, engrossed in a rather large book and chewing on a quill. She paused her reading only to occasionally make some note in the margins. It was one of Harry's favorite things to watch her do. So much for not seeing her tonight.
Harry quickly found Kreature and asked the wizened elf to get him a glass of firewhiskey. Maybe that'd help take the edge off and he could stay in conversation with others for a while before slinking back to his room. He'd just have to have several drinks.
Drink in hand, Harry did his best to both mingle and say as little as possible. He talked with Ron a bit, mostly about Gryffindor's prospects for the remainder of the year. Ginny slipped away from Mrs. Weasley to join them. Ron was in better form than Harry had ever seen him, but with the shakeup to the chaser lineup it might not be enough. Soon Ron left in search of more snacks, leaving Harry and Ginny alone for the first time in weeks.
"I'm glad you came down," said Ginny. She seemed to be the only person not at least slightly bothered by the cooler atmosphere between Harry and Fleur. Harry supposed Ginny thought it meant she had a chance again. He didn't think it did, but thought it better not to voice it.
"Your brother made a good argument, and I'm also a bit of a masochist." Harry joked, taking a pull of his firewhiskey.
Ginny eyed his drink with a bit of longing. "Masochist or not, don't let mum catch you with that. She about cursed Sirius when he offered us some."
"There's a difference between him letting me have it and giving it to you. He is my guardian."
"Yeah, but you're as good as a Weasley. Mum's gonna coddle you whether you want it or not."
Harry smiled, then said "Yeah, she may not be my mum, but she's the next best thing."
"And definitely better than Phlegm," Ginny said while shooting a glare at the French witch who was currently having a surprisingly somber looking conversation with Tonks. "I don't know what she said to you, but just give the word and I'll hit her with the worst bat-bogey hex she's ever seen."
Harry frowned and shot Ginny a dirty look. "You know how I feel about you calling her that. And she doesn't deserve to be cursed either. At some point you're going to have to learn to get along with her. What happened between us is between us. Just like I told her to stay out of it when you and I broke up."
"You can do better is all I'm saying," Ginny huffed, obviously stung by the mention of their short lived relationship. Ginny stood around for a few awkward moments, then left to go rescue Hermione from Mr. Weasley.
Harry made his way over to Sirius and Remus. He mostly listened, but did manage to laugh a few times when Sirius made a few very corny jokes. Tonks made her way back over to them, Harry wasn't sure where Fleur had gone. Tonks caught his eye and gave him a questioning look. Harry shrugged in response. She nodded her head to a less crowded corner and walked off. Harry, having no excuse not to, followed her.
"You can't avoid her all night, Harry. She's worried about you." Tonks said.
"Apparently not, though not for a lack of trying. Ron pulled me out of my room, and even Ginny brought it up in her own, slightly hostile, way."
Tonks laughed, but her hair faded from it's usual pink to the somber brown she bore before Remus finally relented.
"She's just as torn up as you are right now, Harry. I'm not sure what exactly happened but you need to talk it out with her, otherwise it'll just fester and you'll both be miserable."
"I know, but that doesn't make it any easier."
"No, but I promise you it's better than regretting."
Kreature came by to refill his drink and brought him a plate of treacle tart.
"Young master's favorite, and he hasn't eaten all day. Kreature sees, oh yes, and what would Master Sirius say if Kreature let his godchild go hungry?"
Harry took the plate and sat down, Kreacher eyeing him until he had eaten enough to appease the old elf. Kreacher patted one of Harry's elbows with a bony hand before shuffling off to clean up abandoned plates and drinks.
Harry was half way through his third firewhiskey, now bearing a Santa hat of his own courtesy of a very inebriated Sirius and an only slightly less inebriated Remus, when Fleur approached him. She looked at him for a moment, then as if the previous few days had never happened said "I leave you alone for one party, and you are back to drinking swill. You are 'opeless without me, I see."
Harry took a moment to respond, less from the alcohol and more from being the center of Fleur's attention again.
"Well there's not exactly an assortment of fine wines on display, and I don't really care what gets me pissed tonight."
Fleur arched an eyebrow at him. "Zen you will not mind 'elping me drink ze wine I got from 'Orace. Il y a aussi des chocolats de ma famille. Come, join me."
Harry sat the firewhiskey down, and Fleur took his now freed hand and pulled him from his seat. She did not let go after, pulling him to the table she had occupied most of the night. Her book was still present, but beside it now was a bottle of wine, two glasses, and a box of French chocolates. Fleur poured them both a generous glass, then sat and gestured for him to do the same. She placed a piece of chocolate in her mouth and took a sip of the wine.
Fleur sat there, staring at him expectantly until he repeated the same steps. She smiled then. "Now isn't that better zan what you were drinking before?"
Harry nodded. At some point he apparently really had come to enjoy the taste of wine. He wondered vaguely how much was the taste and how much was who he usually drank it with.
"Er. . . Fleur," Harry began, "about what happened."
Fleur cut him off. "We will discuss zat later. For now I 'ave missed my friend and would very much like to spend Christmas with him."
"I've. . I've missed you too, Fleur," he said. For as much as the avoiding was done by him, he had missed her, and part of him was glad they were talking now.
"Of course you 'ave. Without me your life is boring," she replied, giving him a wink. Harry's heart fluttered.
"Only if you ignore the whole almost dying every year thing, some would find that pretty interesting," Harry said, surprising himself with how playful it sounded.
"Zat is interesting once, maybe twice. And I am always there for those moments now, so they do not count, I think," she said it in her hautiest voice, but her eyes were smiling at him.
And before Harry knew it, they were back to their usual banter. Harry caught a few things around them, mostly the relieved looks from Ron and even Hermione, the small huff from Ginny when she saw them together, and the wide grin and thumbs up from Tonks. Everything else was Fleur. It had been less than a week, but Harry hadn't really realized just how empty he felt before now.
Fleur was obviously more observant than he was, because at one point she stopped and rolled her eyes dramatically.
"What?" Harry asked. Fleur glanced toward the wireless, where Mrs. Weasley had found a station playing Celestina Warbeck.
Don't you be afraid, come and take a sip
Of this steamy, tasty treat!
What's in my cauldron full of hot, strong love
Will make your life complete
"It is 'orrible," Fleur said louder than she really needed to, "I don't understand why zis woman is so popular."
Mrs. Weasley shot Fleur a rather angry look and turned the volume up to drown her out. Fred and George started a game of exploding snap. Whether because they could get away with it under the volume of Celestina or because they secretly agreed with Fleur's assessment Harry wasn't sure.
Eventually Fleur started crooning the song to Harry along with the wireless, purposefully butchering the melody.
Oh, come and stir my cauldron
And eef you do eet right
I'll boil you up some hot, strong love
To keep you warm tonight!
Mrs. Weasley looked like she was about to tell Fleur off until she saw Harry laughing at the French witch's antics. Her eyes softened and she settled for taking the wireless into a different room.
"Thank goodness, it is over," Fleur sighed with relief. "I will never understand ze appeal of zat banshee."
"What did you listen to with your family?" Harry asked, eager to change the subject before she burned through Mrs. Weasley's good graces.
"Zere were several musicians, but ze important thing was that it was slow and soft. Madame Warbeck is too loud, too attention grabbing. Ze holiday is for family not celebrities."
Harry didn't have many pleasant Christmases to compare to, but he did see Fleur's point. He'd rather talk with the people around him than listen to the wireless, but at the same time if listening to Celestina Warbeck made Mrs. Weasley happy, he could put up with it. Even if he didn't really care for the Singing Sorceress either. Harry asked Fleur about some of her favorite Christmases, and she was more than happy to oblige.
As they talked, they slowly leaned towards each other, and when her foot brushed against his she didn't bother moving it away. Soon the chocolate was gone, but when their hands met over the empty box, they let them stay there.
Eventually the Weasleys and Hermione returned to the Burrow, the various Order members left for home. Remus and Tonks retired early to their room, Harry could have sworn Remus shot Fleur a wink, and a very drunk Sirius was passed out on the couch with a big smile on his face and a tutting Kreacher pulling a blanket over him before retreating to his cupboard. The only ones left were Harry and Fleur, sitting at their side table and finishing the last glasses of the bottle of wine Fleur had received from Slughorn. Fleur had a light blush across her face from the wine that Harry knew he likely shared. Her eyes were still sharp though and she slowly stood, waving her wand at the wireless that had stopped playing the Celestina Warbeck Special hours ago. A soft and slow song started playing quietly, just audible enough to not bother the sleeping Sirius.
" 'Arry, dance with me." Fleur said. She swayed slightly to the music, holding out a hand to him. Harry shook his head, but stood up and took her hand anyway.
"Fleur, you know I'm rubbish at dancing. I thought you'd have your fill of it for the year already"
She guided his hand to her waist then grabbed his other hand and did the same before putting her arms around his neck.
"Oui, you are rubbish, but we 'ave danced each Christmas since ze Yule Ball. It is tradition now, so we shall dance."
He looked into her deep blue eyes and felt his stomach flip. Somehow the earnestness in her expression was even more unbearable than the teasing earlier. Without realizing it, he slid his hands behind her back and pulled her closer. She didn't stop him, only tightened her own grip.
"So two years makes a tradition then?" he asked breathlessly.
"Three now, and zey do if we want them to." she whispered. Her eyes closed slowly and she rested her head on his shoulder. They swayed lightly as one song bled into the next.
Harry couldn't tell how many songs they went through. The only things he was cognizant of were the warmth of her body and the pounding of his heart. He was surprised she hadn't reacted to it yet, either to tease him or push him away in disgust.
The music stopped long before they did, though their pace slowed and eventually they simply stood in an embrace. Harry thought Fleur might have fallen asleep against him, until she slowly pulled her face away to look into his eyes.
"Ze dance was lovely, 'Arry. Thank you," she said, "I think I shall head to bed soon."
Reluctantly, Harry let his arms relax to his sides. Fleur stretched as she stepped away from him, and Harry could help but appreciate the sight. They went up the staircase together, and Harry wished her a good night and a final happy Christmas before turning to his room, thankful Ron wasn't staying tonight. Before he could open the door though, her hand found his and she pulled him back.
Her expression was hesitant and shy, so unlike her usual self. It looked like she was about to back out of whatever she had stopped him for, but then resolve hardened in her eyes and she whispered "Before you sleep, stop by my room."
"I will," Harry said simply.
Fleur let go, and he heard her continue down the hall. His nerves mounted as he changed out of his day clothes and performed his other nightly rituals. He wasn't certain what awaited him in Fleur's room. After the awkward distance between them after Slughorn's party, tonight had been a much wanted return to form between them. But perhaps that was her Christmas gift to him, one last night before she told him she didn't feel the same way and that they should spend less time together. Harry considered not going. He went anyway.
Standing outside her door, he steeled himself and then gently knocked three times. He heard the muffled 'Entrez!' and opened the door.
Fleur sat on her bed. She was wearing a midnight blue dressing gown and was combing her hair while humming softly to herself. As Harry entered the room she turned slightly and held the comb out to him and obligingly he continued where she left off.
"Is this what you wanted, someone to comb your hair for you?" Harry asked playfully.
Fleur laughed, "I was thinking per'aps if you saw 'ow it was done and practiced it you could comb your own."
"Good luck with that, if Aunt Petunia couldn't get it to lay flat I don't think it's possible."
"Zen it is good your messy hair suits you. Mais non, it is not why I asked you to come, just a pleasant bonus. I wanted to talk to you about what happened at ze party. Or rather what didn't."
Harry's blood ran cold and he stopped combing. Fleur felt him stiffen, and turned to look at him. Harry could see concern in her eyes.
"Breathe 'Arry."
He hadn't realized he stopped breathing as well. Carefully he took a measured breath. Fleur patted the bed beside her and he sat down.
"At ze party, you were adamant about following Draco and Severus. I needed to distract you, it was important zat they not catch you," Fleur began. " You 'ave always seen me as a person, as a witch, it is one of the things I like best about you, why we became friends. But I am not without traits from ma grand-mère."
Harry replied, "You're part veela, I know. That has nothing to do with it."
"But at ze time, I could not know zat. Harry, I used it to distract you. I so rarely use that part of myself but you would not listen. I hit you too 'ard with it. I don't think you noticed, but I saw what I had done and I was ashamed. I thought zat what you said was not really you, but what I made you feel.
"I care for you deeply, since ze second task, non, per'aps since ze Yule Ball even. I 'ave enjoyed getting to know you, and ze times we 'ave shared. But I 'ave never been certain what my feelings are. I 'ave been attracted to men, I 'ave wanted to date zem, but I did not know them before 'aving zose thoughts. I was not sure if my feelings were friendship or more.
"When you said you loved me, I did not know how to answer. Zat is rare for me. I did not know if it was because of what I did to you, and I was not certain if what I felt was ze same. I had to think, but zere was no time for that. I panicked, and I froze. And you took zat as my answer. I was not confident in what to do, I am not now. I 'ave experience with men who want me but do not know me. I don't 'ave experience with zis."
Harry didn't know how to react. She had been hurting just as much as he had, and even with all they'd shared before it took immense to be so vulnerable with him right now, to admit she was just as lost as he was.
"Fleur," Harry said, "maybe you did overwhelm me with your charm, but you overwhelm me with just about everything you do. The way you duel, the way you tease me, the way you get excited whenever you're talking about the book you're reading." Harry couldn't stop himself, everything he felt for her implored him to continue. "I love you, and I never want you to think it's because of your veela heritage. It's because of who you are, and what we've gone through together. I've known how I felt for you since the night at the Department of Mysteries, I think I felt it long before then.
"It hurt, your silence there that night, I'm not going to pretend it didn't. But knowing you've been feeling this way ever since hurts more. Regardless of what you feel about me, I don't want you to hurt like that, and I'll have you in my life anyway I can, but I have to tell you. There's nothing affecting me right now, the alcohol has even worn off. Fleur Delacour, I love you."
Tears were pouring down Fleur's face now. "I wanted to say something sooner, but I was scared. I still am. But I spoke with Nymphadora and with Remus. They were in our shoes not long ago. Zey helped me understand, and I knew we could not continue as we were, and I could not let zis tear us apart. So 'ere I am, telling you zat I was afraid, zat I did not know my own 'eart."
Fleur had taken his hands in hers, and was looking at him with a pleading expression. Harry's mouth was dry. He wasn't certain where this was going, and he wasn't sure if he wanted to know.
"And now?" he asked, voice barely audible even to himself. Damn that Gryffindor courage.
Fleur was biting her lower lip, building courage to say what came next. Harry squeezed her hands reassuringly. She smiled at him softly.
"Zere is one more part of our tradition left to do," she said.
And then she kissed him, and it was all the answer he needed.
Her lips were as soft as he remembered. It was quick, too quick, but then she kissed him again and this time she lingered. One of her hands came up to his cheek, and he did likewise, tilting his head as their kiss deepened. She gently bit his lower lip and he groaned. They fell to the side, too absorbed in each other to really care. They continued kissing, time seeming to stop entirely, until slowly they parted, each breathing heavily.
The tension between them was pleasant now. They finally knew where they stood with each other. Fleur was the first to break the silence.
"Say it again." Her eyes were sparkling now, Harry felt himself being pulled into them.
Harry didn't hesitate, "Fleur, I love you."
"I love you too, my 'Arry." She kissed him again, tender and chaste.
They giggled softly together, straightening out on the bed so that Fleur's head rested on Harry's chest. Harry felt light, like he was under a cheering charm cast by Dumbledore himself. They cuddled for a while, the steady sound of her breathing soothing him as he grew drowsy.
"Stay with me tonight, just like this," Fleur muttered, already half asleep now the excitement of the moment had passed.
Harry hummed, stroking her back gently. He felt her drift to sleep and quickly joined her. His last thoughts before sleep took him were about their new tradition and how much things could change in a single night. He knew next time he cast a patronus, this would be the memory he thought of.
The next morning when he awoke, he was immediately cognizant of the warmth against his side. The memory of what happened last night made him smile as he looked at the still sleeping Fleur. Even once she was awake they stayed like they were for some time until the pull of hunger forced them up and out into the rest of the house.
Sirius and Remus were both nursing cups of some potion that looked strongly like mud and smelled like sick, an amused Tonks chiding them for over-imbibing the night before. They both had large plates of food in front of them, which didn't seem to be helping their hangovers at all. As Harry and Fleur sat down, Kreature put much more reasonable servings in front of them.
"Wotcher, Harry, Fleur," Tonks greeted the two, a pleased smile on her face, "These two will likely be useless for at least another hour, so don't mind them." Remus groaned his agreement.
Harry and Fleur both laughed, and the two drunkards from the night before reacted poorly to the sudden and loud noise. Despite the grumbling Harry could see something ease in both their eyes. He didn't realize how worried they'd been.
Once brunch was over and the two Marauders were functioning again everyone went over to the Burrow for Boxing Day. Harry joined a pick up game of Quidditch with the Weasley children, and was surprised Fleur wanted to watch though he did notice she brought her book along, similar to Hermione's idea of 'watching'. The rest of the holidays passed with many laughs and high spirits.
And if anyone noticed Harry didn't spend the night in his room the rest of Christmas hols, they didn't mention it.
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