'Thoughts'

"French"

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

Authors Note: I planned to make this a two part story, but it is turning out to be a bit longer.

Special Thanks to doernerkint, author of Keeping Pace, and Hiding and Masking who once again spent a considerable length of time beta'ing and giving me his input on this chapter, as well as WaskeHD and Lyrical who beta'd and offered me their thoughts and suggestions.

If you enjoy the Harry/Fleur pairing, hop on over to the FlowerPot discord, at discord dot gg / flowerpot

A Meeting in a Crowd

PART TWO

"Un moment!" Fleur called out from inside the old French villa, her voice was followed by the sound of Victoire's laughter.

Harry took a moment to calm his nerves. This was the first "real" date since leaving England. During his sabbatical, he'd been on a few, but they were more in line with one-night stands and drunken attempts at moving on. Especially in the earlier years of his travels, when he'd been more prone to drowning his misery.

This was different though, he knew Fleur, she was his friend and he hoped to find something more with her.

A sudden bark followed by the distinct sound of four-legged running startled him. He turned around with mere seconds left to brace himself for the dog that collided with him. Its paws reached up to his shoulders as it greeted him the way only dogs could, with a lot of face licking.

"Down girl," he laughed as the excited pup slobbered all over him. He had actually put serious effort into looking nice for once and of course he had to encounter the Delacour's overenthusiastic dog. Thankfully, any further ruin was prevented by the timely appearance of Fleur's father, who had been walking Jolie when she had suddenly run off, and he'd been unable to keep hold of the leash. It was clear now that she had caught onto Harry's scent.

"Harry," greeted the older man with a laugh as he brought the slobber monster under control.

"Jean." Harry offered his hand which Mr. Delacour shook while keeping his other on the dog's collar.

"I'm sorry about Jolie. She got away from me before I could react."

"It's alright, I don't mind." Harry waved off his apology.

He crouched, facing the dog and gestured for Jean to let go of her. Jolie quickly bounded back to Harry who scratched behind her ears as he watched her tail wag back and forth excitedly. "I'm glad she's taken so well to me. It could go either way when it comes to myself and dogs."

"Why is that exactly?" asked Mr. Delacour as he watched on curiously.

Harry looked up as he remembered. "Ah… That's right, I was rather cryptic about it."

Jean nodded, to which the younger man chuckled

"There's no reason to hide it actually. Fleur already knows," said Harry as he moved away from Jolie and proceeded to shift into the largest black husky Jean had ever seen.

Jolie barked excitedly as she scampered around Harry. Where Jolie was adorable, his dog form looked far meaner than you'd expect from the mild-mannered young man. His fur was messier than your regular husky, it's colour the deepest black with a white under coat, and where huskies often had blue eyes; Harry's green had carried over, contrasting brightly with his fur.

"Un animagus. C'est magnifique!"

Harry shifted back into human form right as the door opened to reveal Fleur.

"Désolé 'Arr- Oh Papa." She cut herself off, having noticed her father's presence.

She wore a stunning white summer dress paired with Greek style sandals and a golden charm necklace in the shape of two intertwined feathers coming together on a thin chain. Most of her hair was loose, with some of it gathered at the back in a French braid similar to the one he'd seen on her before.

As Harry took in her appearance, she done the same. Her attention was immediately drawn to his jawline. He'd shaved, allowing her to take in the sight of it, even his hair seemed to have been trimmed slightly. She lowered her gaze to take in the rest of him. Harry wore a pair of slim fitting, but comfortable beige chinos with a well-fitting light blue shirt tucked into them with its sleeves rolled up neatly which showed off his toned upper body and arms. It was all held together with a brown leather belt and matching shoes. The only accessory being a silver wristwatch.

Fleur had to admit, Harry had grown into a very attractive man in the time he'd been away.

"I will see you later, ma petite," smiled Jean, before he shook Harry's hand and kissed his daughter's temple, "enjoy your date, you two. I will head inside and join my lovely wife."

Fleur turned to Harry as the door closed. "Désolé 'Arry. I was 'elping my mozher with Victoire."

Harry smiled to put her at ease. "It's alright, I enjoy your father's company."

"Hmm, so where are we going?" She asked as they stepped away from the front door and moved closer to the fountain.

"I don't really know the magical side of France all that well. But there's a coastal market that I know of where we take a stroll. I also found a little café nearby which looked promising?"

Fleur pondered his idea for a moment before she smiled and nodded her agreement, "zhat sounds lovely."

Glad that she was keen on his idea, he offered her his arm to which she slipped hers through.

"Ready?"

The beautiful Veela nodded and braced herself for the sensation of being side along apparated. The pair vanished with a pop and reappeared around the corner of a building, hidden from the line of sight of the road, and any passerbyes.

The first thing Fleur noticed was the smell of the crisp, salty ocean air as it filled her lungs.

"Alright there?" asked Harry with concern. "I know I hate the feeling of being side-alonged."

Fleur took a second to breathe before she squeezed his arm softly and offered him a queasy smile. "Oui, it takes me a moment to catch my breath."

Harry returned her smile with a comforting one of his own as he led her out, onto the road, and in the direction of the market.

The pair took in their surroundings as they walked. The market was bustling with activity, but not crowded to the point of feeling claustrophobic. There were families all around perusing the stalls, and enjoying the beautiful day. It was reminiscent of many such markets, you often found similar items on sale regardless of where in the world you were. Random trinkets and souvenirs between clothing stalls selling summer and beach wear, and cattered across it all were food vendors selling everything from fried foods to crepes and candied nuts.

"Shall we?" Harry gestured towards the stalls with his head.

"Oui," she said excitedly, having already spotted a few which piqued her interest.

The pair made their way towards the nearest stalls, with Harry content with allowing Fleur to pull them in whichever direction she wished. Their appearance had already drawn quite a few glances,as they began to enjoy themselves in earnest as while moving from stall to stall. Harry had to suppress a chuckle at the amount of food stands they'd been stopped at so the proprietor could offer Fleur a sample. At this rate, she'd have no space left for lunch.

Fleur had let go of his arm at one point to try on a pair of sunglasses which she placed back on the rack, even though she clearly seemed to like them. Harry bought it for her once her back was turned. She'd kissed him on the cheek as thanks, before dragging him off again. Instead of grabbing his arm again, she'd taken hold of his hand as they continued.

Harry found himself with a smile constantly plastered onto his face as he enjoyed their afternoon together. He'd discovered that she had a teasing sense of humour, which could be very suggestive at times. It seemed she kept this side of her hidden when her daughter was around. Were he the Harry of his younger years, he'd have been a blushing, stammering mess. But times change, and he could give as good as he got now. He was especially smug when he'd managed to fluster her.

"Fleur?" He called from the front of a long queue. She'd opted to sit on a nearby bench instead of squeezing into the very crowded sorbet stall front.

"Quoi?" He heard her answering call.

"What flavour do you want?"

"Lemon!"

Harry turned back to the teen who manned the front, while a woman who appeared to be his mother assisted another customer. Before he could relay the order, the boy must have followed the interaction as he had already begun eagerly filling a plastic tub with Fleur's request when Harry added his own order of apple flavour.

Harry raised an eyebrow at finding the tub filled with lemon sorbet significantly fuller than his own apple. The teen squirmed under Harry's piercing stare, his shoulders sagged in relief when Harry had let it slide. Since he hadn't actually underfilled Harry's, but rather he'd overfilled Fleur's.

The beautiful Veela had laughed knowingly while Harry pouted when he'd returned to her and she noticed the clear difference in their servings. She'd kissed him on the corner of his mouth to cheer him up. Harry had used the opening when she was distracted with eating hers, to thow a smirk at the boy from the stall who scowled at realising he'd unintentionally helped Harry. Amusingly his mother had laughed before patting her sons shoulders. Clearly the woman had been observing them from her periphery.

It was another half hour before they'd reached the end of the market. They hadn't bought much other than a cute skirt Fleur had found which, come hell or highwater. She had to have it. While he had been preoccupied paying, she'd snuck off and returned with an 'I heart France' t-shirt in the colours of the French flag for him, along with a matching cap to his horror.

"Table for two?" asked the waitress at the entrance to the small open-air café. It was quaint, but still somehow found a way to appear both rustic and classy with its mix of light woods and white and blue painted walls.

Fleur nodded towards the girl with a smile, "please."

The waitress, who introduced herself as Aimee, motioned for them to follow her. They thanked her as she brought them to an open table and handed them each a menu.

"Would you like anything to drink? Wine?"

Upon noticing Harry's confusion, Aimee, who was used to encountering tourists who didn't speak French, switched to a heavily accented English as she recommended a dry rosé.

"That sounds good." He answered before turning to face his date. "Fleur?"

"Oui," she nodded her agreement to the waitress who said she would give them a few minutes to decide on their meals.

Harry perused the menu and found an item he was certain he'd had before and enjoyed thoroughly.

"Soul Munyer…?" he pondered aloud, as if vocalising it would jog his memory.

"Sole meunière," corrected Fleur. "It is white fish cooked in butter and finished with lemon and parsley."

He glanced up to thank her and could tell she was smiling at him by the blue eyes which peaked over the top of her menu.

The waitress returned and placed a champagne bucket on their table filled with ice and their bottle of wine. She opened the bottle and poured a glass for each of them with the grace of movement of someone who's done so a thousand times. Once they had their filled glasses, she retrieved her little notebook and asked if they were ready to order.

"I'll have the sole meunière," answered Harry, carefully letting the words roll off his tongue. He looked towards Fleur who smiled brightly at him and then faced the waitress as well.

"Zhe same for me."

Once she'd gone, Fleur turned to Harry. Her blue eyes sparkled mischievously, "I am glad your tastes 'ave improved, 'Arry."

Harry chuckled, "you never were one for good old English cuisine."

"Non, it is too 'eavy… and greasy… and salty… an-"

"-Okaaay, Okay, you've made your point." He interrupted with a laugh as she scrunched her nose. "I'll admit, my tastes have changed. It's not everywhere that you can find a good shepherd's pie."

He took a sip of his wine. "But what about you?"

"Hmm, what about moi?"

"I recall you complaining quite loudly about the food at Hogwarts."

Fleur blushed at his reminder, suddenly finding the bottom of her wine glass a worthy distraction.

"But surely there was something you enjoyed eating there, that was English?" He insisted.

She appeared thoughtful for a moment. "Zhe pudding… It was sticky with zhe dates and zhe custard."

"Ah, sticky toffee." He nodded. "If I'm remembering correctly, that was Seamus's favourite."

"Sheamus? Oh!" She leaned forward to make sure nobody overheard her as she whispered. "Zhe one who blew up zhe bridge?"

Harry, who had mirrored her, chuckled at her point of reference. "Yes, that one. Anything he touched would combust. Once in our first year, during breakfast, he made water explode."

Fleur stared at him incredulously as he smiled fondly at the memory. "He was trying to turn the water into rum. But the incantation was nonsense, it went something along the lines of, 'eye of newt, harping mum, turn this water into rum'."

Musical laughter filled the small café, the sound drew the attention of a few patrons who turned to find the source. Harry smiled brightly; he really liked her laugh.

Their conversation went undisturbed until the waitress arrived with their food, which they enjoyed along with the rest of their wine as well as dessert and coffee. Time flew by, and as the afternoon went on, eventually the time came to pay and leave, so Harry called their waitress over and settled the bill along with a hefty tip for the waitress since they'd occupied a table for so long.

They walked back the same way they'd come. Though this time Harry noticed a stall that wasn't there earlier. It seemed some of the stalls changed as the market transitioned into a night one. The stall was selling warm baked goods. Harry asked Fleur what her parents and Victoire would like, and though she wanted to stop him from spending more on her, she was happy that he thought of her family. She snuggled up closer to him and pointed out the chocolate stuffed beignets.

Harry faced the old woman and her husband who ran the stall, and ordered several of them to be packed, along with two loose ones for himself and Fleur. After he'd spoken, the old woman stared at him in confusion, Fleur giggled and translated for her.

Once his order was in hand, the old woman said something to Fleur which had her laughing as she replied.

Away from the stall and having finished his beignet. Harry turned to the beautiful platinum blonde at his side who was savouring her pastry and asked her what the stall owner had said.

Fleur smiled teasingly as they stopped at the little hideaway they had arrived at and answered.

"She said you're very cute, but it is a shame zhat you are English. I said it is ok, I 'ave enough culture for zhe both of us."

Harry squawked, but before he could respond, Fleur grabbed him, as she willed them back to her home.

The sight of a groaning dark-haired young man and giggling blonde appeared at the fountain. The orange glow of the home's windows landing on them.

Harry looked up at her. "You're evil, you know that right?"

Fleur continued giggling, "zhis time was your turn, and… zhe side-along after eating is zhe worst."

"...Uh, Fleur"

"Oui?"

"…You know we could have just apparated separately since we both knew where we're going…"

"..."

"..."

"Oh."

Harry laughed as she blushed furiously. He pulled her towards him, his voice deepened. "You said something about having enough culture for both of us?"

Fleur met his eyes and nodded; her heart began beating faster at the sudden seriousness in his tone, as she wondered where he was going with this.

"Does that mean you'll be keeping me around?"

She stared at him as she thought about how much fun she'd had throughout the day. Harry was sweet and attentive, he made her laugh, and her family enjoyed his company a lot. She also couldn't deny that she was very attracted to him. This date was her way of confirming if there was a chance for anything between them.

With her decision made. She leaned in closer, her breathing laboured.

"Oui."

She kissed him.

Harry wrapped his arms around her, pulling her soft body against his chest as he deepened the kiss. Fleur hummed into his mouth, sending a shiver up his spine as one of her hands found its place in his hair while the other gripped the back of his shirt. His rough hands gripped her thighs, spurring her on as she melded her body against his, forgetting where they were. A sudden gasp snapped them out of it. Harry peered over his shoulder and spotted a curtain move.

Fleur tucked her head into the crook of his neck as her body shook.

"I think we've been caught."

"Oui, zhat was Gabrielle." She continued to tremble.

"What's wrong?" asked Harry as he peered down at her worriedly.

Unable to hold it in any longer, a snort broke free as she broke down in laughter as she held onto him. It was uncontrolled, and wholesome, and infectious and had Harry joining her in an instant.

Once their laughter had died down, and they'd caught their breath. Fleur raised her head and caught sight of his crooked glasses and his hair which stood pointing in every direction only served to have her fall into another fit of giggles.

Harry was struck breathless at the sight of her. Her face was flushed with the laughter reaching her bright eyes which contrasted with orange light around them. Some of her hair had fallen into her face unnoticed by her. Mesmerised by how beautiful she was, Harry was overwhelmed by the need to feel her lips on his again, he tugged her towards him and kissed her again. He felt, rather than heard her laughter subside into a wide smile.

Breaking the kiss, she lifted a hand to his jaw, feeling the coarse afternoon shadow that had formed as he rested his forehead against hers.

"I 'ad a good time today, 'Arry."

"So did I."

They stayed in place, drinking in each other's presence for a moment before a soft sigh from Fleur snapped them out of their dream.

"I should go inside before someone comes looking for me."

Harry's grip tightened for a brief moment, not wanting her to go, before he breathed out dejectedly. "I'll walk you to the door."

"Before I forget," he held onto her hand, before letting go to remove a neatly folded piece of paper from his pocket. "If you do need to get in touch with me. I'm staying in a muggle area, Room 602 at the Hôtel Lyon near the Louvre. I've warded the balcony so nobody would notice if an owl stopped by."

Fleur accepted the note, her fingers brushing his hand lightly, while giggling at his audacity, throwing up wards at a muggle hotel? "I zhink my fazher 'as some plans for zhe weekend but if not, maybe we could go for a walk? Take Victoire to zhe park? Oui?"

Harry hugged her and spun her around as she laughed before kissing him one last time for the evening. She poked him in the ribs when he attempted to deepen it, they'd be here all night if she gave him the chance.

He rubbed his side as he smiled ruefully and watched the laughing blonde enter her home. He waited for the door to click shut behind her before he turned on the spot and apparated back to his hotel, glad at how the evening had gone.

Harry was on cloud nine. He'd seen Fleur at least every two or three days for over a month now, and their relationship was growing fast. He'd taken her on several dates, some just the two of them and others including Victoire. He chuckled internally at the thought of the sassy little rapscallion.

He was sure the little girl believed him an idiot, granted he'd somehow managed to unintentionally reinforce this idea of hers. A prime example would be the time they'd taken her to the zoo. He had been struck by nostalgia when the three of them had entered the reptile area and had immediately gone looking for a snake to converse with. He'd been pleasantly surprised to discover his parseltongue ability had not disappeared with the Horcrux.

When Victoire had asked her mother why was he hissing at the snake, she'd explained that he could speak snake language and that he was talking to it. The little girl had taken one hard look at him, before asking her mother, if he could speak snake, why couldn't he speak French? He'd unfortunately had no answer that would sufficiently defend himself from her scrutiny.

Despite the girl's lack of belief that he was anything other than a fool, something Fleur found endlessly amusing. It was the first time since his travels had begun, that he nursed the idea of remaining in one place permanently.

France clearly held a special place in Fleur's heart, and she was far more comfortable here than she had ever been in England. There was no denying, the place was beautiful too, and as much as some would argue, the weather back in England left something to be desired. Harry sighed, he doubted Fleur would ever wish to live in England again, so if they were to have any hope of a future together, he would have to make a home for himself in France.

His thoughts went to the beautiful woman who had made his stay here so wonderful, and her family that had been so accepting of him. They were happy for them, and they trusted him and Fleur not to make any rash decisions. He'd been warmed by their acceptance, especially so, when Anaïs had given him a knowing smile and said she was glad he'd taken her words to heart. It was a weight off of his shoulders that left them feeling lighter than they'd been in a very long time.

Harry glanced towards the clock in the room and baulked, he was going to be late if he didn't get moving. Fleur's family had invited him to join them at the beach, and you had to be early if you wanted one of the best spots. He opened his bags for a shirt to wear, and found the monstrosity Fleur had bought him at the top. He smirked, if she wanted him to wear that embarrassing thing, then it was only right that she be seen beside it. He donned it quickly along with the accompanying cap, and chuckled at himself in the mirror before he rushed from the room.

The group stepped onto the stunning white sand of one of France's more isolated, but no less beautiful beaches. They'd chosen this one since dogs were allowed, and the smaller number of people meant less grievances for the Veela women in the group.

Harry walked beside Fleur who held Victoire's hand as Jolie scampered between them. They made their way to a nice open spot to pitch an umbrella and throw down their towels. Once there, he watched as his girlfriend pulled off the top and dropped the shorts she had thrown on over her swimsuit, revealing her stunning form in a skimpy blue bikini that left very little to the imagination. She peeked over her shoulder to gauge his reaction before turning back to hide her smirk as she helped her daughter who immediately began playing with Jolie.

Harry followed suit and noticed the appreciative gleam in Fleur's eyes when she glanced back at him. He was rather proud of himself, he'd worked hard to undo the effect the Dursley's had on him, it was made harder by being constantly on the move. But after having had to run for his life on more than one occasion, he'd realised the benefits of staying in shape.

"On y va?" asked Victoire of her mother as she pointed towards the sea, the meaning rather obvious.

"Bientôt, ma petite."

Fleur turned towards Harry. She gestured with her head towards the sea. "I'm going to take Victoire to zhe water, coming?"

The little girl, with the patience, or rather lack thereof of someone her age, chose not to wait for him to reply. She walked right up to him, grabbed his hand, and with an order of allons-y!, dragged him past her mother who giggled and followed suit. To any person observing, they were the picture of a wonderful and happy, young family.

Harry glanced back towards the rest of Fleur's family. Jean waved for him to go ahead; he would relax with his wife and younger daughter who'd both chosen to sunbathe.

The raven-haired man nodded before he looked down with a mischievous gleam in his eyes. He scooped up Victoire who squealed and giggled as he placed her on his shoulder. He smiled at his girlfriend when he felt her take his hand. She smiled warmly at his antics and kissed his cheek before she reached up to tease her daughter. They continued towards the sea as Jolie ran back and forth repeatedly ahead as if to hurry them along.

Jean's heart swelled with joy as he sat beneath the umbrella and watched how his oldest daughter laughed as she and Victoire ganged up on Harry, splashing him with water.

He gripped his forearm as he thought back to her divorce, and how angry he had been at the time. He'd been against her marriage with Bill Weasley, not because he believed him to be a bad man but rather that he'd believed they were rushing into things.

Fleur was young and in love, and with the war looming so heavily over them, there was no guarantee that you'd have a future, so they'd lived in the moment, ultimately rushing into things. He had tried to talk his daughter into waiting, but she'd wanted to hear none of it. Of all the members of his family, Fleur was always the one who was surest of herself, which at times could result in bouts of intense stubbornness.

The hardest part for him was what his staunch disapproval had caused.

Throughout the years, he'd tried his utmost to be there for his daughters when they needed him. He wanted them to trust in him and to always feel comfortable enough to come to him for help.

But when things had become tough and her marriage had begun to fail, his little girl had kept it hidden from them. She'd pretended everything was alright in her letters, and led them to believe that she was happy and all was alright. But the truth was that she was hurting.

He'd never felt more of a failure.

So when she appeared on their doorstep, his granddaughter in her arms and a bag at her side, looking every bit a bird whose wings had been clipped.

He'd been furious, furious at Bill Weasley, but mostly… furious at himself.

He thought of how in the months that followed, his Flower had put forth all of her focus into raising her daughter, and as time passed, she bloomed again. But… he knew his little girl, and so did his wife. They saw the cracks that she so skillfully hid. The brief flashes of longing that passed across her face as she saw other couples.

Veela are passionate beings, who yearned for love and companionship, and Fleur was lonely.

Jean felt his wife wrap her arms around his neck from behind as she rested her head upon his shoulder.

"They are good for one another."

He sighed. "They are."

His mood was ruined by Gabrielle, who chipped in. "When can I get my own sexy dark-haired, green-eyed guy?"

"When you are 50 years old, and I've had enough time to brush up on my dueling."

Gabrielle laughed along with her mother, who tilted his head to the side in order to plant a wet kiss on his cheek.

Harry and Fleur followed Victoire out of the water. The rambunctious little girl was more energetic at times than should humanly be possible. While that enthusiasm is what drove children to explore the world around them and grow, it could also lead to injury as Victoire found out when she tripped.

While Fleur was fast, Harry was very fast. He had gained his speed with a childhood of running for his safety, and had Victoire in his arms in an instant. He inspected her for any injuries and relaxed after finding none. The little girl still clung to his neck and sobbed. Though she had grown to trust him, the moment her mother was in range, she reached out for her. Harry passed her over, even though she was getting a bit too big to be carried around like that by Fleur.

"She's not hurt," he explained, relief evident in his voice."It was more the shock of the fall."

"Hush now my angel," comforted Fleur as she wiped her daughter's tears while Harry watched over them. "Let's go sit with grandma and grandpa."

Victoire nodded into her shoulder as she sniffed.

Harry had an idea to help cheer her up.

"I'll be right back," he whispered to Fleur before jogging off to find what he was looking for as her eyes glanced at him in confusion.

It hadn't taken him very long to find what he was hoping for. A few minutes, and some skillful application of the universal sign language of pointing and showing numbers with your fingers, was all it took to succeed in his quest.

The young man returned to find them all sitting around each other, with Victoire perched on her grandpa's lap as she scratched her dog's ears. The tears had stopped, but she was still in that post-sob stillness.

Harry hoped to change that.

Fleur was the first to see him approach. She smiled ruefully as she shook her head fondly at what he was carrying.

His eyes met hers as he shrugged sheepishly in response.

"Victoire, look at what 'Arry brought you."

The quiet girl searched for him slowly and when her eyes found him, they'd immediately gravitated to the large cups of granitas in his arms, which he'd kept from melting with a sneakily applied freezing charm.

Her face brightened, her pain from before forgotten in an instant, as she lurched up and ran over to him.

Harry crouched with a smile and offered her the pinkish blue one.

"Merci 'Arry." She thanked quickly, before immediately slurping up the frozen drink. Her eyes widened when she discovered it was her favourite flavour.

"Slow down," he chastised with a laugh while he wiped her mouth with his thumb. "You'll get a brain freeze."

The pair joined the others with Harry handing out the rest of the frozen drinks before he took his spot beside Fleur, who gave him a chaste kiss along with a whispered thank you. He knew she wasn't thanking him for the drink. Fleur leaned against his side, resting her body against him, he kissed her head and wrapped an arm around her waist.

The group had enjoyed the rest of the afternoon with the only minor incident being someone who'd attempted to flirt with Fleur. It was amusing to watch their attempt fall flat as Fleur simply stared at them coldly until they'd retreated with their tail tucked between their legs.

Eventually Victoire's sugar rush had burned off and she'd exhausted herself enough that Fleur suggested they return home. To nobody's surprise, the little girl didn't even have the energy to mumble her opposition.

Harry sat on one of the loveseats in the Delacour living room with a glass of wine carefully balanced between his fingers, as he chatted with Fleur's family. His girlfriend had gone upstairs to put her daughter to bed, the young Veela had been running on fumes through dinner.

"Fleur mentioned you are looking for a place to stay long-term?" asked Apolline, surprising Gabrielle who had been unaware.

"Really?" she added.

"That's right," Harry took a sip of his wine and nodded. "I mean, I can't stay at a hotel forever."

"Are you looking for something in a muggle or magical area?" asked Jean with a curious, raised brow before continuing without missing a beat. "I know a good realtor if you're thinking of wizarding accommodations."

Harry hummed thoughtfully, as he pondered the question. "I like the anonymity that muggle areas have," he waved his palm at nothing in particular before he chuckled ruefully -"but to be entirely honest, my life is probably a bit too exciting to live in one of them. It'd only be a matter of time before the Statute gets blown sky high by a rampaging Erumpent that somehow found its way into my bathroom."

They laughed, but also knew he wasn't entirely kidding, though an Erumpent was unlikely, from the stories he'd told, it did seem as if he had the strangest luck.

"Do you want a flat or a 'ouse?" asked Gabrielle as she leaned on her armrest.

"I'm alright with either, but I think I'd prefer a house. In the end, I'll just go for whatever catches my eye. Who knows, depending on what the realtor shows me, I might just buy something."

Their conversation was interrupted by the appearance of Fleur who joined him on the loveseat. She grabbed a glass of her own as Harry reached for the bottle and poured.

"Merci, mon cœur." She smiled and made herself comfortable by snuggling up to him with her legs lifted on the seat and tucked in at her side.

"What were you talking about?" Fleur asked as she took her first sip and sighed. A nice glass of wine was amongst her favourite things after a long day.

"Me finding a place to stay," he answered, "your father mentioned he knows a realtor."

"Hmm, zhat's good, when do you plan on leaving zhe 'otel?"

"As soon as possible, I guess."

Time passed quickly as it always seemed to when in good company. Jean and Apolline were the first to retire for the evening on account of his need to be at work the following morning. Gabrielle followed shortly afterwards, opting out of being a third wheel.

The two lovebirds continued to chat late into the night, even gone as far as to open a second bottle of wine.

At least he thought it was the second bottle, he was honestly not sure how many had been opened by this point but he had definitely had at least four glasses. His eyes were beginning to feel slightly heavy and the mood had definitely changed between them at some point. He watched as Fleur adjusted her position, purposely allowing the strap to fall from her shoulder. She watched Harry's eyes darken as he gazed hungrily at the shadows between her cleavage. A smirk appeared on the corner of her mouth, as she leaned forward, allowing him to get a clearer view.

The smirk grew wider when he groaned huskily.

"You're doing this on purpose, aren't you?" he rasped.

"Doing what?" she whispered, biting her lip. "What am I doing, 'Arrrrry?" She reached out, hooking her finger through the top of his shirt, tugging his buttons open, exposing his chest. She took the wine glass from his hand, and placed it aside before straddling him.

Fleur wrapped her hands around his neck and leaned in to whisper in his ear. "Are you going to stop me?" Her voice was soft and seductive, and it was driving him crazy.

She planted a kiss against his jaw and slowly began to make her way towards his lips. He closed his eyes as he tried to control himself, to pull his mind away from focusing on the way her lips felt against his skin, or the way he could feel the burning heat radiating from her body and the fire beneath her skin. He opened his eyes as he felt her stop and found her face mere inches away from his own. Her cheeks were flushed and her lips parted with her laboured breath. His eyes glanced down and found her dress straps had fallen completely, exposing her to him. He inhaled sharply at the beautiful sight before quickly lifting his gaze and meeting her eyes.

"Aren't you going to kiss me?" She breathed, close enough that he could taste her. Fleur smiled victoriously when he grabbed her waist and pulled her roughly against him, slamming his lips against hers. Fleur moaned into his mouth as her tongue battled his for dominance. She ground herself against the hardness she felt through his pants and revelled in the groans it elicited.

The need for air became too great, and they broke apart, staring into each other's eyes and soaking in the pure lust and need found there.

"My room."

"What about zhis one?" Fleur asked as she lay half on top of him, drawing little circles around a scar at his side. It was partially hidden by his arm and in the shape of a claw mark from what she could feel. She traced her nails across the three lines that made it up.

"Wendigo." He supplied without further comment.

She was curious as to how he'd managed to come across one of those. But pushed it to the back of her mind as she slid her hand across his body in search of the next scar. She could feel the way his skin seemed to come alive between her finger tips. He loved this. Her hand stopped when it reached his shoulder and felt the rough scar tissue there. Memories of a younger Harry being chased by a dragon while on a broom flitted through her mind as she recalled how she watched in awe as he outmanoeuvred the fire breathing behemoth.

"I remember zhis one, zhe 'orntail."

He hummed in response.

Fleur placed a kiss on his chest. "I remember 'ow small and lost you looked in zhe ring. Zhen you summoned your broom and you were magnifique!"

He remained quiet as he listened to her voice.

"I was very jealous 'Arry." She muttered into his bare chest.

"Jealous?" He voiced finally, his head tilted to eye her. "Why?"

"I am Veela," she sighed, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "I love being in zhe air but zhe brooms 'ate me."

Harry chuckled, "I'll teach you, you can't be any worse than what I used to see at tryouts."

Fleur scoffed before laughing, "merci, chéri, zhat is very kind of you." She leaned up to place a kiss on his cheek. "But trust me, it is zhe brooms… not me."

"Now enough about that." Harry's hand went to her thigh, giving it a possessive squeeze. "I'm in bed with my incredible girlfriend, and there is something I'd like to be doing right now."

"Hmm, is zhat so?" Teased Fleur as she shifted her leg higher across his body.

Instead of answering, Harry flipped them over causing Fleur to roll on her back with a giggle as he pinned her arms above her. His lips went for her throat as he let go of one of her wrists to massage her breast, pinching the hardened nub there. Fleur, with her eyes closed and moaning with small whines in between, grasped his head of hair with her freed hand and pulled him closer to her. She wrapped her legs around him tightly and hoped the silencing charm hadn't worn off.

"I'll see you zhis afternoon?" Fleur asked hopefully as she leaned back against the door of her house, her gaze raised to meet his eyes as he stood over her.

Harry drank in the sight of her. The way she glowed in the early morning sun, with her beautiful blue eyes peering up at him. The way the slight breeze against her silk gown accentuated her perfect figure. The way her bed hair had somehow fallen in just the right way to highlight the contours of her beautifully sculpted face.

It all contrasted so greatly with the Fleur he'd seen moments after waking.

He had to stifle a chuckle when he witnessed morning Fleur. She always embodied grace in her every movement, so he'd been very surprised to discover that she was the polar opposite of a morning person.

He'd found the way she pulled the blanket over her head and grunted out replies to any attempts to rouse her incredibly amusing. It was so far disconnected to everything he'd come to know of her. Every day spent with her led him to discovering more and more sides to his girlfriend and he absolutely adored it. If there was any doubt that he was falling for her, there certainly wasn't anymore.

Harry nodded to her earlier question. "I have a few small errands to run but I'll be free otherwise."

His reply seemed to please her infinitely as she placed a lingering kiss on his lips. It was gentle and chaste and conveyed far more emotion than the lust fueled kisses of the previous night. "A bientôt, chéri."

Fleur watched the spot he'd apparated from for a moment. She took a deep breath of the crisp morning air and smiled as she entered her home, closing the door behind her.

Lost in her thoughts, Fleur was startled when she discovered her mother and sister enjoying a cup of coffee in the living room. Realising the implication of having a very private moment witnessed, Fleur blushed profusely when the pair glanced at each other in silent communication before they gave her a knowing smirk.

She ignored the giggles that sounded from behind as she quickly walked past them.

Harry stepped through the door into his hotel room. He needed a shower and a change of clothes before he could really get his day started. Before heading to the bathroom, he moved to open the door to his balcony in order to let in some much needed fresh air.

Once outside, he was surprised to find a tawny owl waiting for him as it perched on the railing. There was only one person besides Fleur who was able to owl him here. Accepting the letter and turning it over, his suspicions were confirmed when he saw the familiar elegant script.

Andromeda.

END PART TWO