I don't own Harry Potter, and I'm doing this for fun, not profit. Please let that be a sufficient disclaimer!
...
Cheveu had waved goodbye to her mum, pulled her trunk onto the Hogwarts express, and was immediately pulled into an empty carriage by Harry.
"Hey little bro, something wrong?", Cheveu began, curious.
Harry nodded frantically, then threw his arms around her before sitting down and fidgeting. Cheveu noted it was world-class fidgeting.
"Ok, something very wrong. Privacy wards?", Cheveu suggested.
Harry nodded once more, so Cheveu cast a privacy charm and mild notice-me-not charm.
"Ok, Harry, what is it? What's happened?", Cheveu asked, jumping straight to it. Harry, however, just opened and closed his mouth, struggling to put his thoughts into words.
"Well, that is serious. Come on, Harry, it's me. You can tell me anything, just start talking and we'll go from there", Cheveu encouraged.
"It's Fleur, and erm... this morning something happened, and I don't really understand it, and so I don't really know what to do. And then Fleur said some things I didn't understand, and now I'm really confused!", Harry rambled.
Cheveu gave Harry a concerned look; he knew how important Fleur was to him, and she hoped nothing bad had happened. "Harry, your sister's good but I'm going to need a little more than 'something' and 'it' to help you out."
Harry took a deep breath, and went for it. "I sort of saw Fleur topless, from behind, and then I couldn't stop staring, and I got all confused, and I think I'm... I think I like her."
"YES!", Cheveu shouted, gleefully. "Finally! You took your sweet time about that, Harry!"
Harry just stared at Cheveu, utterly unable to decipher her reaction.
"Oh, sorry, sorry! So what's the problem? You fancy your gorgeous best friend? That's not a big deal, especially in this case", Cheveu tried to reassure Harry.
"It is a big deal! But that's not the...". Harry cleared his throat. "It happened when Fleur was asleep, and then I felt really guilty so I just ran, and tried to avoid her this morning."
Cheveu's eyes were sparkling. "Wait, this is fresh as of this morning?!"
Harry nodded, so Cheveu asked, "then what?"
"Well, Fleur was worried, so she cornered me, then I tried to pretend everything was fine but she knew it wasn't, then I had to admit to what I'd done... you know, staring at her like that...", Harry explained, then paused.
Cheveu was almost bouncing on her seat. "Yes? And then?!"
Harry blushed. "She, erm... asked me if I liked what I saw. She got really close, and she was whispering in my ear, and I couldn't think, but when I said I did she said I'd kept her waiting or something."
Cheveu was giddy. "Yes...? What then?!"
"Well, Sebastian called up to say we needed to leave...", Harry began.
"NO!", cried Cheveu disappointedly.
"...so I told Fleur I didn't know what was happening but that I liked it. Then she kissed me right here...", Harry pointed to the very corner of his mouth, "...and I, erm, did the same to Fleur, then we agreed to talk later", Harry finished, blushing a little.
"Oh, so close!", groaned Cheveu, sitting back dramatically in her seat.
"But I still don't really understand it!", complained Harry.
Cheveu smiled ruefully, shaking her head. Was it always like this with first relationships? "Ok, let me explain really, really simply", Cheveu began. "Fleur adores you, you know that. But she is also really attracted to you, and has been since she was about 10. She..."
"What?! No she isn't... is she?", Harry asked, a swirl of emotions inside him.
Cheveu gave him a 'You're being an idiot' look. "Think about it, my dense little brother". That earned Cheveu a put-out expression. "You think Fleur goes around kissing everyone almost on the lips? Or holding their hand? Or cuddling up in bed?"
Harry shook his head quickly; he certainly hoped not!
Cheveu continued. "If you saw a girl acting that way to, I dunno, Ron – kissing him on the cheek, cuddling with him, holding his hand, hugging him every chance she got – what would you think?"
Harry thought about it. Really thought about it. And he reached the obvious conclusion. "I'm an idiot!". Cheveu nodded her agreement.
"Fleur's fancied me for ages!", Harry continued. Another nod from Cheveu.
"My gorgeous, sweet, loving best friend fancies me!", Harry elaborated.
"Now you're getting it!", replied Cheveu, cheerfully.
After a few minutes of consideration, a horrible suspicion started to grow in Harry. "Cheveu? You said holding hands, or kissing cheeks, or lots of hugs are signs someone fancies you?", Harry asked, worried.
"Yep! And gazing at you from a distance, touching your shoulder often, leaning into you, sitting really close to you. Or making more of an effort with how they look when they see you, or...", Cheveu continued.
"Wait, wait, wait!", Harry interrupted, his suspicion growing stronger. "That doesn't always mean someone doing those things likes you, does it?"
Cheveu shook her head. "Of course not. Family, for example, doesn't count – though family wouldn't kiss you right next to your mouth, or ask you seductively if you liked seeing them topless, bro."
Harry groaned again at the reminder.
Cheveu continued, "So you don't need to worry about me, or Appoline, or Gabrielle; we all love you, just not in that way." She shuddered, to make her point. "Of course then there are people who are naturally more affectionate with everyone, so it's harder to tell. People like Katie."
Harry sighed in relief. "Ok, so Katie doesn't fancy me then."
Cheveu smiled merrily – this was fun! "Oh no, Katie definitely fancies you; I just mean that if you see her hug the twins often it doesn't mean she likes them."
Harry felt... he didn't know what he felt! But of course, his loving sister was there to help Harry feel even worse.
"But it's not just Fleur and Katie, Harry. Come on, who else? Guess!", Cheveu asked eagerly, as if the question wasn't merciless.
Harry buried his head in his hands. After a few moments, a quiet "Susan?" was heard.
Cheveu nodded quite happily. "Yeah, pretty sure she does! Come on, who else?"
Harry looked up, horrified. "There's someone else?!"
Cheveu laughed, joyfully. "someone! You're so funny, Harry!"
Harry buried his face in his hands and groaned again. Cheveu asked again, merrily. "Come on, little brother of mine, who else?"
Harry mumbled his reply. "Ginny? Colin?"
Cheveu nodded again, her mood getting, if anything, chirpier by the minute. "Ginny definitely, Colin quite possibly, though that might just be hero-worship. A few seventh years from last year, though they've now graduated. A few others I think maybe, but none that I'm sure of."
Harry groaned. "What am I going to do?"
Cheveu smiled and replied. "You don't have to do anything, Harry. But I can offer you advice, if you'd like?"
At Harry's nod, Cheveu continued. "Firstly, don't go to Hogsmeade alone with a girl, unless you want it to be a date or you're very clear it's not a date. Secondly..."
...
Whilst Cheveu was having the best of times, enjoying Harry's suffering on the train, Sebastian and Appoline were making their own entertainment.
"And just through here, you'll find the snakes. We have several varieties, but the Burmese Pythons are my personal favourite", said the man.
"Simon is their favourite, too. If you watch, the two pythons will get really animated when they notice him!", said Simon's co-worker.
"Oh hell, it's Idiot Simon again, Barry!", groaned Geoff.
"Boo! Boo! He's rubbish, don't listen to him!", cried Barry.
"Wow, you're right! They really are animated, they must love you!", said one of the visitors Simon was talking to.
"Leave us alone, you rat-bringing sadist!"
"Rat monster! Rat monster!"
It was then that Appoline entered the enclosure, her allure leaking a little – just enough to ensure the group's attention. Sebastian walked up to Geoff and Barry, spotting the rat bones he scouted earlier.
"Vole Wizard! What are you doing here?!", Barry asked.
"Aww hell, he can't understand us, can he?", Geoff complained.
"Wait, did Vole Wizard just wink at us, Geoff?", asked Barry, confused.
"Look! He's holding his wand up his sleeve! What's he got planned?", wondered Geoff.
They didn't need to wait to find out. Sebastian didn't do much, really. No active magic, as that was not allowed in the presence of muggles. All he did was cancel a spell; and if asked, he'd say it was purely so that active magic wasn't present in a Muggle location.
"He didn't!"
"He did!"
"Come on, Idiot Simon, turn round and notice!"
"Vole Wizard is such a hero!"
"Excuse me, what are those bones in the enclosure", asked Appoline, playing her role.
"Oh, probably the snakes' last meal. They sometimes leave bones if they can't digest them properly, which is..."
"SIMON! ARE THOSE HUMAN BONES?!" interrupted his co-worker, panicking.
"Of course not, why would there be... HUMAN BONES! QUICK! CALL THE MANAGER!"
...
Harry was trying to follow Cheveu's advice. He had tried to act like nothing was the matter, smiling innocently as Katie hugged him tightly (she was so pretty! And why did she smell of strawberries? He loved strawberries; it wasn't fair!), Susan hugged him and let her hand linger on his arm for a few moments (she was so pretty too! And she had two really... no, don't notice them!), Ginny blushed when he said hello (Damn it!), and Daphne waved.
Ok, that last one was probably fine, Harry thought, but now he was paranoid! At least Harry knew that he had Cheveu to help; hopefully he could survive the term, then he could see the girl he really liked again. As he was thinking about Fleur, her voice called his name from the mirror. Harry, who had been sat on his bed, busy thinking, picked up the mirror with a sense of trepidation.
"Hi Fleur", Harry greeted, nervously.
Fleur giggled. "Oh 'arry, I'm not that scary, am I?"
Harry shook his head. "It's my feelings I find a bit scary, not you... my cherished". Harry would never admit he had practiced that line. He was also nervous about those last two words, though he meant them.
Fleur's face lit up, either at the term of endearment (though she had used it liberally in their conversations) or Harry's sentiment; Harry wasn't sure which. "And what are those feelings, 'arry?"
Harry gulped. "I... Well... You see..." Harry swallowed and tried again. He had practiced this bit too, on Cheveu's advice, though Fleur would never have guessed. "I know we're best friends, but I really like you, Fleur. I mean, like like you. You're so pretty, and kind, and sweet. I just... Yeah", Harry finished, a little weakly.
Fleur was beaming. This was what she hoped he was going to say. After years of waiting, her best friend finally fancied her!
"Do you know how long I've desired you, my cherished?", Fleur asked. Harry shivered at the word 'desired'.
"Erm... Cheveu, she said... I mean, I spoke to her and she helped me understand, and she said it might have been a few years?", Harry finished, nervously.
"'arry, I have desired you for over five years..." Fleur began. Wow – so Cheveu was completely right, Harry thought to himself. "...and that desire has only ever grown. I have dreamt about kissing you, and more, and a few times I've nearly just given in and claimed your lips with mine."
Harry had the feeling that if they had just had a few more minutes that morning, some of Fleur's dreams would have become reality. He cursed not having had a few more minutes that morning.
Fleur continued, "But that leaves us with a decision, my cherished. Should we start a relationship, or not?"
Harry looked confused. "Fleur? Why wouldn't we... I mean, I'd like to... if we could... you know...", Harry finished, blushing.
Fleur held a teasing smile. "Be boyfriend and girlfriend? So we could kiss, and explore each other? So I could show you what you only caught glimpses of this morning?"
Harry blushed deep red; was Fleur being serious? Would she really show him...? Before he could finish thinking, Harry's skull decided his brain was being too slow, and nodded quickly.
Fleur shook her head, still smiling a little. "I'm sorry, my cherished, I shouldn't tease. I really want it to, there's just one thing to consider: long distance relationships don't usually last, and Mama always said that we might want to wait before starting a relationship."
"That sounds like a terrible idea!", Harry blurted out, then blushed.
Fleur grinned. "That's what I said, years ago! But we can both think about it, and we can decide when we see each other at Christmas?"
Harry nodded his agreement, and the two moved to safer topics.
...
"Welcome back class! I hope you enjoyed your summer break. Hands up if you made some potions over the holidays", asked Jones, hopefully. About half the hands in the room went up, including Harry's.
"Well, that's not bad. And I can see most muggleborn students didn't, which is a shame but completely understandable – you don't want to risk the statute of secrecy, or get yourself injured by a badly-mixed potion!", Jones stated fairly happily.
"Ok, anyone brew anything we haven't covered in class yet?" Then, as Harry's hand eagerly shot up, "Yes, Harry, I know you have, of course. Anyone else?"
Shakes of heads around the room. "Oh well, nevermind. Ok, Harry, brew me something interesting, as I already know you've covered this year's strength potions in enough detail. The rest of you: spoilers, it's strength potions today."
Harry grinned, and gathered some ingredients. He had brewed the draught of peace a few times, and thought that would meet criteria!
As the lesson ended, Jones asked Harry to stay behind. Once the rest of the class had left, she beckoned Harry forward.
"Yes, Professor Jones?", asked Harry politely.
"You amaze me, Harry. I know you've had more formal instruction than the rest of the class, but you're already on the fifth year potions curriculum", Jones began.
"Now, I have an offer. If you'd like, I would be willing to provide some one-to-one Potions tutoring one evening per week, focusing on any gaps you have in your knowledge", Jones offered kindly.
Harry was confused. "Gaps in my knowledge? I don't understand, professor."
Jones grinned at Harry. "Well, how else can we ensure you're definitely ready to sit your Potion OWL this summer?"
Harry stared in shock. "My Potions... OWL?
Jones nodded. "Only if you're interested. Honestly, I was hoping you could finish your Potions NEWT by fifth year, then perhaps you'd be interested in a Potions mastery across your sixth and seventh?", Jones suggested.
Harry looked torn. "But wouldn't that be a lot of extra work for you, professor?"
Jones grinned. "Profitable extra work – I'll use my personal ingredient stores so that the finished potions belong to me and not the school, then we sell them and split the profit of anything you brew.
"Also, you happen to be one of my favourite students, so there's that, too", Jones finished with a grin.
Harry grinned back. "Ok, when do we start?"
...
A couple of days later, Harry was in the Gryffindor common room with Neville, Hermione and Ron, finishing some homework that Shacklebolt had set for Defence Against the Dark Arts. He was so focused on his work that he didn't notice anyone was approaching until they sat down next to him, close enough to throw an arm over his shoulder – which they did. The scent of strawberries told Harry who it was before the voice did.
"Hey Harry", Katie began quietly, so not to disturb the others. "Nearly finished?"
Harry nodded. Thankfully he had nearly finished, otherwise he wasn't sure he would be able to concentrate; was Katie flirting? Did she want to kiss him? Was this going to ruin their friendship? Why was one of his close friends so pretty?!
Summoning up heroic levels of concentration, Harry finished his last two paragraphs, then turned to face Katie. Damn it, she was so close he could count her eyelashes!
"Can we talk in private? Maybe go for a walk?", Katie asked quietly.
'Oh no!', Harry thought. "Sure, of course, let me just tidy up my homework", Harry replied.
Delaying only slightly, Harry dropped his work in his room and came back down the stairs. Then, apprehensively, he followed Katie out of Gryffindor tower. He didn't feel any better when Katie hooked his arm in hers.
Katie started speaking, a little nervously. "Look, I... Something's been different between us since we got back from summer, I can feel it", she began.
Harry opened his mouth to deny it, but Katie shook her head. "No, don't interrupt, this is hard enough as it is", she pleaded.
"I... I really like you, and have for a while. And I guess you've noticed, and you're finding it weird?", Katie asked.
Harry knew that wasn't quite it, but he wasn't going to tell Katie he thought she was pretty and his hormones were distracting him!
Katie didn't let Harry answer, continuing before he could reply. "But I know your heart's set on Fleur, so I'm not going to try and make any moves. I just don't want my feelings to stop us being friends – you're one of my best friends, and I'd be gutted if I lost that", Katie finished, desperately hoping she hadn't detonated their friendship.
Harry stopped walking and turned to Katie, who also stopped. Her face held such a look of hope – a sad and melancholic hope, but hope nonetheless. Harry did the only thing he could do - he pulled Katie into a tight, warm hug, right there in the halls of the school. "You're one of my best friends too, Katie. I'm sorry I can't give you a relationship, but I can give you a brilliant friendship. And I'm sorry I've been weird."
Katie hugged Harry back fiercely, and if a few tears leaked from her eyes, Harry wasn't going to comment.
The two friends talked some more on their walk, mostly back to their normal friendship. Partway round, Katie had an idea. "Harry, you, erm... You know I'm not the only Hogwarts girl who likes you, right?"
Harry, shuddered a little. "I, erm, yeah. So I understand."
"And you know those girls are likely to ask you to Hogsmeade on a date, right?", Katie asked. Then giggled, as she noticed Harry's second shudder.
"Hey! Don't laugh! I feel terrible about it!", Harry whined.
Katie shook her head in amusement; he really wasn't doing himself any favours, with how cute he was being. "Well, I thought... maybe we could go to Hogsmeade together?", Katie asked.
"Just as friends!", she quickly clarified. "And only if you didn't think Fleur would mind! But other girls might see it and assume otherwise, even if we said we were just friends, and that might stop you being quite so hounded", Katie explained.
...
Fleur didn't mind; in fact, she thought it was sweet that Harry wanted to check with her. The fact it might put off some of the other girls was a bonus.
Cheveu also thought it was a great idea, as long as Harry was really sure they were only going as friends... though she did resolve to check on them in Hogsmeade surreptitiously, just in case.
The Hogsmeade visit came up soon enough, and Harry enjoyed the time with Katie. It felt like her summer visits – just a fun day out with one of his best friends. They checked out Honeydukes ("yuck, don't buy those, they taste of cockroach" "what?! Ewww!"), Zonko's (you need to try the sugar quills!"), Scrivenshaft's ("I've written too many letters already"), Gladrags ("Erm, you might want to wait outside while I buy a few... things"), and the newest shop, Master Potions ("Wow, that shopkeeper really seemed to hate you" "Definitely evil").
Katie and Harry then enjoyed a late lunch in The Three Broomsticks, chatting about anything and everything like the good friends they were. And if some people had happened to see them and falsely assume they were on a date? Well, so be it.
Katie and Harry both felt relieved by the end of the day – not that the day was over, but that they had been able to enjoy the day in each other's company, without their hormones getting in the way. They both knew their friendship had not weakened this term.
...
The rest of the term passed without too much incident, with Harry managing to avoid letting on that his hormones were regularly going crazy – he'd even thought during one of his one-on-one Potion sessions that he found Hestia Jones somewhat attractive; a thought he promptly and mentally grabbed hold of, shot, and buried near the Earth's core.
But if his hormones were going crazy during the term, it was nothing compared to how they were as the Hogwarts express pulled into London. Harry wasn't even sure if he said goodbye to his friends (he did), but upon seeing Appoline he raced towards her, threw his arms around her in greeting, then impatiently waited for her to apparate them to the Delacour Home. Which she didn't; at least not straight away.
"Aunt Appoline? Where are we?", Harry asked, not recognising the street they were on.
"I know you're eager to see Fleur, and to finish your 'conversation' from the end of summer", Appoline stated with a smirk, "but first I wanted to talk to my Godson. So, we're here at a wonderful cafe a little north of Paris."
Harry blushed, correctly guessing that Fleur must have confided in her Mama. The embarrassment overrode Harry's impatience, so it was with very little protest that Harry followed Appoline into the cafe. After ordering their drinks and cakes, Appoline and Harry sat down at a secluded table.
"What did you want to talk about, Aunt Appoline?", Harry asked, dreading the answer. "Oh, not that I don't enjoy just spending time with you, of course! I love you dearly, after all".
Appoline smiled fondly at Harry. "As you have probably guessed, it's about you and Fleur. I wanted to tell you something, so you're properly informed."
Harry panicked, a little. "Is she ok? Has something happened? I was only speaking to her this morning, and..."
"Hush, my little cabbage, nothing is wrong", Appoline interrupted. Taking a deep breath, she began to explain. "Fleur adores you. She craves you. But she is torn; her heart wants you now, but her head tells her she should wait a couple of years until she finishes school.
"Harry, she is smitten with you. If you were to ask for a relationship, she would cave to the desires of her heart instantly. But in her head, she worries that such a relationship – given the distance – may not last, and that she risks losing her very best friend over it", Appoline explained.
Harry felt conflicted. He barely tasted the sweet dessert or the bitter coffee as he consumed them, deep in thought as he was.
Appoline understood that Harry needed the time to think, so they sat in thoughtful silence.
Eventually, Harry came to a decision. He knew what he would do. Thanking his Godmother for her advice, whatever he decided, the two left the cafe for the Delacour home.
...
"Fleur!"
"'arry!"
After an initial embrace – during which Harry had to wonder if she had always looked so good, smelt so good, felt so good – the pair raced upstairs to their bedroom.
This time, instead of cuddling, the pair sat nervously on the bed, inches apart, facing each other.
"So, what do you think?", Fleur half-whispered, her eyes shining and her allure gushing from her.
Harry swallowed, then replied, "what do you think?", his eyes flickering down to Fleur's red lips.
"I think I really want to kiss you", Fleur replied in that half-whisper, dodging the real question.
"But what do you think about a relationship?", Harry asked, desperately trying to resist his own desires long enough to finish the conversation.
Fleur hesitated. That told Harry the truth if Appoline's words. "'arry, I fear we should wait, by I have no desire to."
"Neither do I", Harry admitted quietly.
"But we should", Fleur stated, a little more confidently. To show how serious she was, she climbed onto Harry's lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.
"So we're going to wait?", Harry clarified, his hands running up Fleur's back and into her hair.
"Mmhmmm, we wait", Fleur agreed, leaning towards Harry, one hand now holding the back of his head, fingers threaded in his hair.
"Fleur...?" Harry gazed into her eyes, their lips only a few centimetres apart.
"Yes, my cherished?", came the reply, expectant and eager.
And then Harry closed the remaining distance, his lips softly moving against Fleur's. Fleur moaned in delight, her lips caressing his in return, whilst one hand gently held his head and the other pulled his body even closer.
Harry was in bliss; Fleur's lips tasted of vanilla, and her allure... Harry could taste that too, and he craved more.
Soft kisses turned to eager kisses, and eager kisses turned to passionate kisses when Fleur parted her lips and ran her tongue along Harry's. Now it was Harry's turn to moan, and Fleur knew she had to hear the sound again and again.
After a few minutes Fleur and Harry parted, lips pleasantly bruised, cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling.
"'arry?", Fleur began, when she had gotten her senses back.
"Yes, my cherished?", Harry replied adoringly.
"We need more practise; I think we're really bad at not being in a relationship", Fleur stated, mock seriously.
Harry giggled, then asked the key question. "So where does this leave us?"
Fleur, eyes still shining, replied. "I still think it's better to wait, much as I don't want to. But if we sometimes give into temptation and kiss like that again, I shall find a way to endure."
And to prove how well she could endure, Fleur kissed him again, and again, until Gabrielle's shouts and footsteps were heard. Maybe they just needed more practise in Not Dating, Harry thought. They had very recently become terrible at it.
...
Author notes:
Thank you so much to all who favourite or follow Delacour Godparents – right now there are 800 follows and over 500 favourites, and that blows me away.
An extra special thanks to those who review. Whether a few words, a few sentences, or more, it motivates me to write faster. Thanks to Call to arms 1234, Tybeer, Isabelle6116, Jessica Dallas, seaweedbrainwisegirl07, NAEASsSH, Kendtimo, Mando-Vet, VashonBeader, Monkeyman8290, and IAmOutOfIdeas for reviews; and to the enlightened PhantomKnightPercival, BradyC, Spider of Dreams, rishi547, Urgazhi, bahnannah, insanecoop, HughJasz, alix33, Earth Guardian 28, Garnetio Solozari, SKFF, Arnie1701, minerdude, Northmanlv, magitech, MauserTeleri, Smutley Do-Wrong, spicyanimechick, amortentiate, SvenHPotterFan, VashonBeader, seaweedbrainwisegirl07 and Magnus Whitlock for re-reviewing since last chapter.
Call to arms 1234 – you're assuming he will...
Jessica Dallas – not yet, given their ages. But when they're ready...
seaweedbrainwisegirl07 – ah, I'll do a minor update to make that clearer. As for your year three question, you've got a partial answer here :-)
alix33, Earth Guardian 28 – thanks! Minor corrections coming soon!
SvenHPotterFan – I've deliberately not written a beach scene... Yet. Harry's in for a surprise.
Monkeyman8290 – possibly in a one-shot, but this chapter was already getting too long, so sorry for not including here!