'Thoughts'
"French"
Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.
Author's Note: Special thanks to doenerkint, author of Hiding and Masking who Beta'd this chapter and more. His help with this story has been invaluable, please check out his work for a great read.
If you're interested in the Harry/Fleur pairing, check out the Flowerpot discord server for more at discord . gg / flowerpot (Just remove the spaces.).
Thank you for sticking around until the end. I really appreciate it, it's been a great experience writing this story, and I'm glad so many have enjoyed it.
A Meeting in a Crowd
EPILOGUE
Ten Years Later
"I'm really happy we're still doing this, Papa."
"Is that so?" He smirked with a teasing glint. "Hmm, I recall a time when you were 'Too Old' for ice cream trips with your parents."
Victoire rolled her eyes. "Let's not speak about that phase of my life please."
Harry laughed in response. "I wouldn't be a very good father if I didn't feel the need to remind you."
The store owner handed him a tray with their orders for which Harry thanked her politely. He always did, they'd become regulars at her business since he'd met Fleur and more so after they had settled in France for good. The cosy, petite ice cream store held a special place in their hearts, it having been the reason they encountered one another on that day all those years ago.
The now greying woman who ran it had been over the moon to hear that her store had brought them together. Her little eccentricities reminded him of another ice cream store owner from his youth.
Ever since then, they'd made it a point to visit it a few days before Victoire's birthday, and once his daughters had been born, it extended to their birthdays too.
"Back to the table before Nora starts trying to eat your mother's hair." He quipped. She smiled at the thought of her youngest sibling.
And just as he had predicted, they returned to find little Nora trying to munch on the platinum mane of her delightful mother, who seemed not too concerned with her youngest trying and failing to chew through her precious hair.
"Told you…"
Fleur watched her oldest laugh at something her husband had muttered under his breath. The pair stopped as her handsome man placed the tray on their table. Her middle child, Lily, so very alike her older sister, immediately grabbed one of the two blue concoctions with a rushed Merci Papa!
"That was rather quick," said Fleur.
"Not by choice, I promise. Marie began filling the cups as soon as she saw it was the two of us," chuckled Harry as he took Nora from Fleur so that she could feed her the little cup of vanilla ice cream.
The toddler giggled as he tickled her. Her green eyes full of joy. Though all three sisters were the spitting image of their mother, Nora had gotten his eyes, which according to Fleur was a very rare occurrence among Veela.
"Don't tickle her, she'll bring it back up!" scolded Fleur. Harry winked at his two snickering daughters when his wife wasn't looking.
"Will Rose be coming to the party?" asked Lily, hoping to get a chance to see her friend.
"She will," answered Fleur, "and so will Fred."
"And Teddy?"
"He'll try, but his apprenticeship makes it hard to commit, unfortunately," said Harry. "There'll be a few more Weasley's this time though."
Victoire scowled. "I hope Bill doesn't try to show up again."
Harry frowned while Fleur rubbed Victoire's back. The Weasley curse-breaker had made a few attempts over the years to try and ingratiate himself into Victoire's life. Unfortunately for the man, he'd been too little too late.
His last attempt had been on her sixteenth birthday. He'd shown up unannounced and learned first-hand why you don't anger a Veela. When she refused to give him the time of day, Bill had made the mistake of saying I am your father.
"I have a father, and it's not you!" Victoire had screamed at him. Fleur had been forced to calm her daughter while Harry had asked Bill to leave.
"I don't know if he'll try again," said Harry. " But— look at me, ma petite," Victoire met his eyes. "No matter how much his mistakes have affected you. Someday you'll have to speak to him. I'm not saying, you have to like him, or even forgive him," he added quickly. "But let me give you some advice, my angel, holding onto anger," he shook his head as if shaking off the past, "it won't do you any good, trust me on that. So do it for yourself. Okay?"
"I'll try. Won't be anytime soon, though."
"That's perfectly fine."
"Now eat up before your sister finishes yours." He added on quickly
"Lily!" The spoon which was making its way to her cup retracted quickly.
It was late in the night when Victoire's stomach growled. She placed her book down on her bedside table, taking a moment to glance at the photo frames she kept there. Her favourite being the one from their trip to Arizona, it was one she'd taken two years ago, of a beautiful mountainside, a wizarding tent pitched beside a campfire where her parents and Lily sat. They'd have to go back again sometime, when Nora was old enough.
She neared the bottom of the staircase, the left over party food in the kitchen beckoned her. She paused at the gentle sound of her mother's laughter. A quick peak around the corner revealed her mother and father cuddling on the settee, two empty wine glasses left on the coffee table. Even in the low light, she could see the mirth which shone in her father's bright green eyes.
She couldn't remember much of her life before Harry had joined them. He may not be her blood, but he was her father in every sense of the word.
She held in a laugh when she caught sight of one of the many pygmy puffs that had made residence in their home sneaking around. Something that the ageing dog, who currently lay fast asleep on her bedroom floor forever bemoaned.
She would never forget the sight of Jolie's pleading eyes as the puffs made a bed atop her. It was as pitiful as it was adorable.
A sudden gasp followed by a moan startled her. She blushed furiously as she caught sight of her parents making out. Embarrassed, she hastily made her way back up the stairs.
Late night trips to the kitchen could wait…
END
