Thanks Seaver for everything!

I am sorry I didn't update yesterday, real life claimed me… alright that was a lie I don't have a life. If truth be told, I discovered how lethal Vodka and Orange juice can be.

keebler-elmo: Actually I don't think there is another transformation in this fic… not completely sure though, thanks for the input!

Devotion408: Good theory about their relationship and as a matter of fact Harry will suspect there is something wrong with him. I am definitely writing about Broken Wands in this chapter. Don't worry too much about Harry and Fleur though, there will be a happy ending sooner or later.

AKA Harry: Thanks! I do my best.

Szelij: Nope, Harry isn't gay… Fleur could tell.

TimGold: Thanks here is more!

Please note that there is nudity in this chapter! Sensitive readers should close their eyes while reading… okay that was silly but I haven't got the energy to delete it… lol.

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Chapter 28 Awkward

"Wake up Wingbeat," Fleur woke him softly, "It's snowing and I haven't been out in days!"

"I dreamed you were an angel undercover," Harry mumbled sleepily.

"It took you until now to discover that?" Fleur teased but then seemed to change her mind and added, "You are so sweet, now hurry up and we'll go down for breakfast."

After some quick morning preparations, a change of robes and a quick walk through the castle they reached the great hall. Unlike yesterday dinner the students of Beauxbaton wasn't stunned to see him.

"Harry Potter!" One of the girls that had asked for his autograph the day before called from the middle table where about twenty French students sat eating breakfast, "Sit with us!"

Before Harry could refuse, Fleur pulled him over to the middle table and sat down. The students seemed quite surprised by having the-boy-who-lived joining them for breakfast.

"Hello," Harry said jerkily.

"Hello Harry," The girl who had asked him to sit said and the other followed her lead and mumbled their greetings or nodded curtly.

"We were all wondering if you enjoy your stay." A girl of his age with brown hair and eyes asked.

"Yes, the guest tower is really nice," Harry said politely and Fleur handed him a buttered toast, which he ate. The girl glared at Fleur for feeding Harry.

"If you ever get bored you could just drop in our dormitory," The girl pressed on, "It's not as nice as the guest tower but I could make it very comfortable for you."

Harry didn't know what to reply, he was lost for words. No one had ever flirted this obviously with him before.

"I'm afraid Harry's a little tired, he didn't catch much sleep last night," Fleur lied and kissed him lovingly on his cheek.

"Harry's a big boy he can make up his mind by himself can't you Harry?" The brunet asked.

Harry pretended not to hear. He pretended to be caught up with Fleur kissing him on his cheek and caught her mouth in a real kiss. The brown haired girl seemed to sense her defeat and returned to her breakfast muttering something French under her breath.

"So what is Hogwarts like?" A boy that seemed to be a little younger then Harry asked.

"It's great," Harry said happily, "It's mostly like Beauxbaton, but much older and a bit rougher."

"Is it true there were a Basilisk there?" A blonde girl next to the boy asked she appeared to his girlfriend because of the way they sat close to each other.

"Yes," Harry replied shortly.

"A real basilisk… that could kill by looking at you?" The boy asked.

"Yes," Fleur answered for him, "But no one died for over fifty years."

"Is it true that you killed it?" The brunet asked.

"Not alone," said Harry quickly, "I had help."

"Wazz it your old girlfriend zhe who dumped you for Krum?" Another girl from down the table asked.

"No," Harry replied, "And she never was mine or Krum's girlfriend that's just what they wrote."

"Was it Albus Dumbledore then?" The boy asked.

"No, his Phoenix, Fawkes helped me," Harry said awkwardly. "He punctured the eyes of the Basilisk and I killed it with a sword."

"Why didn't you just use your wand?" The boy's girlfriend asked.

"I had lost it," Harry replied shortly and finished his toast. He spent the rest of the breakfast confirming or refuting rumours. Some were quite hilarious other downright sad like the one about his parents being alive and just in hiding.

"We got a dark lord to defeat before lunch so if you'll excuse us," Fleur finally said to Harry's big relief.

"Oh, well if you ever need any help?" The boy who turned out to be named Andre said.

"Thanks," Harry said solemnly, "It's good to know, Andre."

"Now you're a hero in Beauxbaton as well," Fleur said on their way out from the castle.

"I'm not a hero, just a bit famous and I happen to, by a huge coincidence, end up representing something."

"You are my hero," Fleur stated quietly, "You know that Wingbeat don't you?"

They walked in silence towards the front doors and Fleur opened one of them to let them out. It was snowing and it was freezing. Harry pulled his cloak closer around him and buttoned the top buttons.

"Accio warmth potion," Harry cried as he remembered that he had packed the potion he made the final lesson with Snape. Fleur closed the door again at the sound of his voice.

"Warmth potion?" She asked.

"Yeah, apparently it's a Hogwarts tradition for the new NEWT class to make Warmth potions for the Christmas holyday," Harry explained, "And don't look at me like that mine looked exactly like Hermione's so it's wont poison you."

"Well if it looked like Hermione's," Fleur said teasingly.

"Conjure a glass," Harry said when the vial with his warmth potion came floating through the air towards them.

Harry caught the vial easy and poured one fourth of it in Fleur's glass and when she had drunk it he poured him self equally much. It was unusually well tasting for a potion he had brewed. It tasted a little like Pepperup potion and Harry supposed they must work in similar ways. No smoke were coming out of their ears however and their faces kept their normal colors.

"You are good at potions no wonder you have an O," said Fleur.

"I suppose," Harry replied, he had never thought of himself as good at potions especially as he often partnered with Hermione.

Fleur pushed open a front door again but this time Harry didn't notice the chill. They walked outside; snow was falling thickly from the grey sky.

"I thought you said the snow was charmed?" Harry asked as they walked down the stairs.

"It is, but it does snow sometimes by it self anyway," Fleur replied and started to run in order to stretch her legs properly.

Harry followed her but couldn't resist the temptation of scoping up some snow and forming a snow ball. He had expected his hands to sting with cold but they didn't the snow felt as if it was wet cotton.

"You bastard!" Fleur shrieked when his snowball hit her in the back of her head and started to slip down inside her robes.

"Get me if you…" Harry stopped abruptly as a snowball from Fleur hit him the face.

"You were saying?" Fleur asked.

"You're dead veela!" Harry yelled happily, scoped up some more snow and threw another snowball at Fleur. She shrieked in joy and managed to dodge it. The snow fight continued mercilessly for an hour until their warmth potions started to wear off and they became aware of how wet they were

"We'll be freezing in a few minutes," Fleur stated, they were both laying down in the snow next to each other, exhausted.

"We better get inside," Harry replied and got up.

"Carry me," Fleur begged she was not as fit as him since he usually trained regularly on the Quidditch team.

"Mobilicorpus," Harry said and waved his wand at Fleur.

"No not like that! Let me down!" Fleur said and started to twist in the air as if trying to reach the ground, which was quite impossible unless you broke the spell.

Harry chuckled, "What's the matter angel? Lost your wings?"

"You are so totally dead," Fleur said, she looked as if she wanted to sprout her wings for once but couldn't manage as she wasn't really angry.

"Hold still and I'll carry you," Harry said and placed his arms under her.

"You are feather light you know," Harry teased when Fleur stopped struggling and held on to Harry instead.

"I weight as much as you do!" Fleur replied, "Probably more."

"Are you calling me skinny?" Harry said as he carried her back to the castle, "Or are you just admitting how fat you really are?"

"Your opinion means very much to me Harry," Fleur said seriously but Harry knew she was joking or teasing him somehow but decided to play along, "And if you think I'm fat I'll stop eating."

"You little devil!" Harry said and tossed her into the air, the Mobilius charm allowed her to float 20 feet up in the air before she slowly started to drift down.

Fleur shrieked, "All right I'm sorry I'm sorry don't do that again I admit I was teasing you and I won't stop eating!"

"That's better," Harry said and caught her in his arms.

"You are awful," Fleur said happily when she adjusted herself so that she could look up at him from his arms, "But I love you anyway."

Harry carried her all the way up to their tower fortunately they didn't see a single soul on their way up. Even though he was not too embarrassed showing everyone how much he loved Fleur, carrying her would be a little too much not to mention silly.

"I'm freezing," Harry said after he had lifted his Mobilicorpus off Fleur, "And I'm wet."

"I think I will have a bath," Both of them chorused.

Dead silence filled the room, Harry knew that they knew each other well enough to take a bath together, naked, but the fact that they very rarely kissed and were intimate made every thing very awkward.

"The bathroom is big enough for both of us," Fleur said trying to reason with the situation.

"Yeah," Harry agreed. Why did it have to be so difficult? Why couldn't he and Fleur just love each other like mad in every possible way?

"I could transfigure swimwear," said Fleur uncertainly, "Not that I would mind if you saw me naked."

"Me neither… I mean you seeing me naked," Harry replied equally uncertainly.

Neither Fleur nor Harry said anything for a long moment. Harry tried desperately to make out his feeling but the only conclusion he came to was that he loved Fleur. Even if it was true that he and Fleur didn't love each other sexually it was not something that either of wanted to be reminded of and not taking a bath together would prove it.

"It's just a stupid bath" Harry said irritably, walked determinedly in to the bathroom and started to undress.

Fleur entered the room shortly after but Harry didn't look at her so he couldn't tell if she was looking at him. Once Harry was naked he walked up to the huge tub in the middle of the room and turned several taps on. The taps worked very much like the taps in the prefects' bathroom, several different kinds of bubbles came out of them and through the largest came warm water.

Harry blushing just slightly turned and saw Fleur naked as well at the other side of the tub. Their eyes locked for a short moment and he knew Fleur was as awkward as him with the entire situation. Harry slipped into the warm water and shortly after Fleur did the same.

"This is the most awkward situation I've ever been in," Harry admitted to break the silence.

Fleur nodded, "Me too," she sighed.

Harry turned the taps off when the tub was full of water and bubbles. It made the situation a little easier by the fact that neither of them could see each other bodies. The thing that made the situation so extremely awkward was that any couple that had been so close for so long should do more then just holding hands. Harry knew that he should want nothing more then to see Fleur naked but so was not the case. It hurt him badly, almost physically, to just look at Fleur and feel nothing.

Fleur suddenly pierced him with her deep blue eyes and blasted him with her veela charm. Harry realized that she must have decided just getting the awkwardness over with but then just as suddenly her gaze wavered from his and she looked down in the foam. Harry wasn't disappointed it only hurt him more to see her use her veela charm to no effect.

Fleur sighed again.

Harry knew he had to do something. He edged over next to Fleur and found her hand under the water.

"We're just not ready, after all it's a big step," Harry said though he doubted at the moment that he ever would be ready.

Fleur smiled at him and pecked his cheek gently, "I love you. Don't forget that just because nothing happened."

"I love you too," Harry said and put his arm around her shoulder, they sat in silence for a long moment enjoying the warm water and the closeness.

"Do you think you will continue teaching next school year?" Harry finally asked it had just occurred to him that Hogwarts would be very lonely if Fleur left after the year just like all the rest of the Defense against the dark art teachers.

"Nothing can keep me from you," Fleur replied and added dreamily, "Wingbeat."

"I still haven't figured out why you keep calling me that?" Harry asked.

"I told you don't you remember I used to call you Wing-ban but that didn't really suit you," Fleur explained.

"That's the only reason?" Harry asked, he had always sensed that there was something more too it.

"When I was nine and had my first transformation… it was over as stupid thing I was in a bad mood and my parents wanted me to go to Paris with them, they had tickets to a Quidditch match. I wanted to be annoying so I refused to go with them I don't really remember why but I got so mad and then a sprouted feathers and wings. Mum and dad were shocked at first but then dad calmed me down. They both know of course that I would do that someday… anyway when I was calm again dad ensured me that it was a normal part of having a veela grandmother but I already knew that. Mum and her relatives usually turned into birds and you can imagine having ten veela trying to flame each other," Fleur smiled when she told him about her relatives, "I had this stuffed animal that I usually liked to hug after my transformations when I was little, dad used to call it… well Wing-ban in English."

Harry smiled, "I wish I knew you since you were born… well at least since I was born."

"Me too, we'll just have to make up for those years, won't we?" Fleur asked looking up at him.

"Yeah that's a…" Harry stopped abruptly when Fleur put a sling of wet hair behind her ear.

"Show me your other wrist!" He demanded harshly. Fleur startled and held up both her wrists over the water.

"Were is it?" Harry asked trying to keep his calm.

"What?" Fleur asked uncertainly, she looked scared.

"The bracelet!" Harry practically yelled, "You promised never to take it off!"

"I didn't want it to get wet," Fleur said apologetically in a very small voice.

"Are you," Harry cursed, "stupid? Were is it… ACCIO Silver Bracelet!"

The silver bracelet came flying from Fleur's pile of clothes. Harry caught it angrily.

"Never take it off again!" Harry said forcefully, "Under any circumstances."

"I won't," Fleur said and put it around her wrist again, "Care to tell me why this is so important?"

"No," Harry snapped. Fleur and Harry sat next to each other for another long moment now however they didn't touch each other. Harry could tell that he had hurt Fleur's feelings and he knew that he had to apologize.

"I'm sorry I got angry," Harry said.

"You are going to have to do a lot better then that," Fleur said coolly, apparently she had been building up her anger in silence.

"What do you want me to say?" Harry asked irritably, "I'm so very, very sorry I lost my temper."

"What about a good reason?"

"You promised," Harry said, though he knew Fleur wanted a better reason then that.

"Not impressed," Fleur stated and crossed her arms over her chest the way she usually did when someone behaved badly, especially in class.

"How about it was really expensive?" Harry tried knowing it wouldn't work.

"Nice try but you told me it wasn't too expensive."

"It wasn't too expensive nothing is too expensive when it comes to you," Harry said and he could see Fleur soften.

"How much did it cost then?"

"Will you forgive me if I answer?"

"Sure," Fleur said though she didn't sound entirely honest.

"Five thousand Galleons," Harry muttered quietly.

"Very funny Harry," Fleur said sarcastically, "But no one buys a silver bracelet for that kind of money, I doubt any one would even try and sell it for that price."

"So do you forgive me?" Harry asked stubbornly.

"No I don't believe you," Fleur stated coolly, "Tell me why you paid five thousand galleons for it and I might believe you."

"No," Harry said shortly, he felt his temper rise again and was not so keen of having Fleur forgiving him yet.

"Fine," Fleur replied and drifted over to the other side of the tub.

"It got a rather advanced charm on it," Harry said giving in a little, "And I don't know what exactly the charm does alright?"

Fleur didn't reply she just glared sadly at him.

"Right it got the most advanced charm on it money can buy," Harry admitted.

Still no reply just the sad glare.

"Fine," Harry replied and stood up not even thinking of the fact that he was naked, "I don't have to take this!"

With a few quick strides he was over at the shelf were the towels were placed. He pulled out a huge white towel and wrapped it around him self.

"Give me a reason," Fleur said also standing up.

"Like what?" Harry asked.

"A reason to why you won't tell me," Fleur said walking over to him, she pulled out a towel for herself and wrapped it around herself.

"You might do stupid things if you knew, things I can't allow."

"But if I promise to be a good girl," Fleur pleaded innocently changing tactics.

Harry hugged her, "Please I beg you let it go," he whispered urgently in her ear.

"When can you tell me?" Fleur asked she was not angry any more.

"I'll let you know as soon as it's safe, I promise."

"Do you always bring your wand when you take baths with girls or is it just because I'm part veela?" Fleur asked flaring him a radiant smile, apparently forgiving him.

"If I ever take a bath with another girl and don't bring my wand I'll let you know," Harry promised. He knew he was being a little paranoid bringing his want with him, but he couldn't help it.

"What about that time Myrtle caught you working on that egg?" Fleur asked teasingly.

"Well technically she was never in the bath we me, she just watched me," Harry replied.

"Hmm," Fleur snorted playfully, "You are closer to a ghost then to me?"

"We have known each other longer then I have known you," Harry joked, "Let's go sit in front of the fire and dry up."

Harry caught several glimpses of Fleur's naked body and she probably saw him too. Fleur was beautiful from head to toe, perfect in everyway and Harry once more got the feeling that he had been damaged somehow.

After all, he did have a connection to Voldemort and that couldn't be too healthy neither surviving the killing curse not to mention growing up with the Dursleys in fact he should have some mental problems. Perhaps he should go and see Madam Pomfrey when he got back to Hogwarts.

They sat down in front of the blazing fire on the floor without saying a word.

"I'm getting dressed," Fleur said after along moment and threw her towel at Harry, "Throw it in the bathroom for me will you?"

A few minutes later he entered the bed room to find a fresh set of robes, he didn't even glance over at Fleur but judging by the sound she was sitting over by the mirror brushing her long silver hair.

When he was properly dressed it was high time to get some lunch. They ate their lunch at the staff table with Nancy. Nancy had spent the entire morning setting up tonight's fireworks. It would be spectacular Nancy promised.

"We got a really unusual Christmas gift by Dumbledore by the way," Fleur said on the way up to Nancy's office.

"Oh, something nice?" Nancy asked them.

Harry nodded.

"A phoenix feather," Fleur said, "From his Phoenix."

Nancy didn't reply she just gave them a blank look that said very clearly 'Explain'.

"You see Fawkes had wet it with a tear," Harry said.

"And Harry forged it," Fleur added.

"Why don't I get the feeling you aren't joking?" Nancy asked she had stopped in the middle of a corridor and eyed them suspiciously. You could tell that she was twice as much veela as Fleur was because of the bird like way she was watching them; of course, this didn't make her any less attractive.

"We named it Vertex," Harry stated, "We forged it together."

"You managed to forge a phoenix?" Nancy asked almost accusingly.

Fleur and Harry nodded.

"But that's impossible!" Nancy said, "Only really powerful wizards… not that you aren't powerful but… did Dumbledore help you?"

"No," Harry and Fleur answered.

"At least I don't think so," Fleur added.

"He wouldn't, not without telling us," said Harry.

"No," Fleur agreed, "Besides I don't see how he technically could."

"Of course I should have known you two would work miracles together," Nancy said smiling fondly at them. "You are after all probably two of the most powerful sorcerers of your age since both of you are tri wizard champions."

"Harry perhaps but I never did anything extraordinary," Fleur said.

"What did I do?" Harry asked as if Fleur was insulting him.

"You conjured your stag in your third year and then you forged a phoenix," Fleur said, "Not to mention you dueling with Snape or that forest incident."

"That was luck," Harry said irritably, "Besides you are a Professor, one of the youngest to ever teach at Hogwarts."

"I can see that is a touch subject," Nancy said sternly, "Let's not discuss the topic further."

"Sorry," Fleur and Harry muttered at once and they started walking towards Nancy's office again.

"I have some stuff that I thought you might be wanting," Nancy said to Fleur when they entered her office. "Most of it is left in the house and when you are ready we can go there."

Fleur froze; it was obvious what Nancy was talking about.

"Of course it can wait…"

"No it's okay," Fleur said and Harry grabbed her hand to show his support.

Nancy nodded though she didn't look like if she was really ready for this. "I put it all in this box."

Nancy gestured to a box standing on her desk, "The things they had with them."

Fleur stepped over towards the box on the desk Harry following her. There was not many objects in the box just a wizards watch, a pair of eyeglasses and a wallet that Harry supposed must have belonged to Fleur's father, a little diary with hearts on probably Gabrielle's and a fashionable purse no doubt Fleur's mother's.

"Stupid stuff," She muttered tears rolling down her cheeks.

"It's okay Angel," Harry murmured putting an arm around her waste.

Fleur didn't look like she knew what to do or feel. Finally, though she opened her mouth "This is Gabrielle's diary. She never wrote in it she used it to draw. She was a rather good drawer for here age, she specialised in girls with wings. She was after all a girl with wings herself she was proud of it too. She wanted to be exactly like me she had no idea the wings would be inconvenient one day and I didn't have heart to tell her I didn't like mine."

"Don't say that," Harry whispered, "I wouldn't want you any other way."

Fleur glanced at him sadly, "This was my fathers watch mum gave it to him a couple of years ago. He only liked it because she gave it to him. His old walled he's had this one since he left school he got it from his parents." Fleur said and opened her father's wallet. A magical photograph featuring the Delacours with Hogwarts in the background was tucked inside

"It was taken right before third task… I was so nervous… Look I'm trying to hid behind them," Fleur exclaimed. Her photo self was trying to hid behind her father but her father simply hugged her reassuringly, "They were so proud and Gabrielle had told all her friends about me being a brave tri wizard champion."

Fleur closed the walled with a sad sigh and put it back into the box. She picket the eyeglasses next, "Dad only used them when he was reading I think he once got hit by a fireball and lost some eye sight… not one of mum's she never threw fire at him at least not since after I was born."

She replaced the eyeglasses carefully and picked up the purse.

"This must have been her latest, I have never seen it before but she always made purses and robes too as a matter of fact," Fleur explained and opened the purse gently.

"Burn potions," Fleur stated and lifted out several vials and placed them in the box, "though I don't think she minded being a veela not as long dad loved her… tissues of course… a quill and some parchment."

She placed all the items she found in the purse in the box.

"And her wand," Fleur said and picked up the last item a wand she held the wand gently and placed it against her cheek and smelled it as if it was her mum.

"It still smells of her," Fleur said thoughtfully, "It's her second wand I think I broke her first wand when I was little… at least I have a vague memory of breaking it. Mum said I hadn't when I asked her about it a few years ago but she didn't sound too convincing. She probably just didn't want me feeling guilty about it."

"But aren't wands very hard to break?" Harry asked.

"Yeah I know but I remember it breaking and the veela hair poking out" Fleur said smiling sadly, "It must have been one of my earliest memories. I must have been two or perhaps three. It's Ash and Dragon Heart String."

"Oh, but why didn't she get one with veela hair?" Harry asked.

"She was in London at the time," Nancy explained, she had been reading a book near her fireplace but apparently was not too occupied.

"She was?" Fleur asked glancing over at her aunt, "I don't remember being to England before the Tri Wizard Championship."

"Wasn't that dangerous?" Harry blurted out before Nancy could answer, "Being in England back then?"

"It was," Nancy said shortly, "But they said it was important and besides it wasn't much better anywhere in Europe."

"Well now I know why she got it from Ollivander's," Fleur stated and started putting everything back into her mother's purse including the other things that were in the box.

"Fleur darling, when do you want to go and sort out the rest?" Nancy asked carefully.

"I don't want to," Fleur refused blankly, "Everything's fine the way it is!"

Nancy didn't push the matter instead they talked about Hogwarts and the dueling club. Nancy told them some funny stories from her school days some from Hogwarts others from Beauxbaton. After a few hours of talking, the conversation returned to Vertex and Nancy called on the house elves to get them herbs to bring back.

Before they knew it, it was time for the New Years Eve feast. Fleur charmed Harry's old Dress Robe from fourth year to fit him and he didn't look too bad in it, especially as he had almost never worn it and it still looked kind of new.

Unlike Hogwarts, New Years Eve in Beauxbaton was a big thing, every student and teacher dressed up and had a very fancy dinner. The seven long tables were replaced by a couple of round tables in one side of the hall but Harry wouldn't sit at any of those he would of course sit at the staff table. Apparently ordering your meal directly of the plate as Harry had done at the Yule ball was something of a standard in the Wizarding world because no one seemed unsure of what to do when the menus suddenly appeared.

"I can order for you if you like?" Fleur said reading his puzzled expression when he looked at the menu.

"Nothing too French," Harry replied, hoping there was such thing on the menu.

A few minutes later Harry was eating pasta. It was very good to say the very least, house elves seemed to have a natural ability to make things taste good. They drank very good wine to the food and it made everything taste even better.

He had a polite conversation with the headmistress about Hogwarts, Dumbledore and Hagrid. Harry suspected that she was an order member because she seemed to know a lot of stuff she wouldn't know otherwise. When everyone was done with dinner, Madam Maxime announced a dance.

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For those of you here who wants a little more action I recommend reading my latest fic.
Story ID : 1563049 be warned it makes use of the R rating... First chapter is called "Hermione Granger" by the way.

Hmmm so what do you think of this chapter… any guesses yet how this might end? It's only nine chapters left after all.