Do I have to say it?

A few days later, Harry saw Hikaru come into class with pink hair and Kaoru with blue hair. What was going on? When he saw them start a fight, Harry frowned. None of the projectiles were actually aimed at their twin. This 'fight' likely wasn't real. Harry caught a vase that would have hit him in the face. "Hikaru, Kaoru!"

The twins paused and turned to see Harry with a vase in hand. Hikaru was the one that threw it.

"You almost hit me."

The twins gulped in unison.

Harry smirked. "Class is starting soon, so make sure that all this is over by then."

"Kaoru was the one that started it!"

"You're just trying to get Harry angry at me! Besides, I'd have to throw it backwards!"

"With how bad you are in gym, it's possible!"

The back and forth resumed.

When lunchtime rolled around, Harry snagged Kaoru. "I know this fight between you two is staged."

Kaoru's eyes widened. "It's not…"

"I'm not going to say anything. I just want to know what your goal is."

Kaoru was silent for a moment before grinning. "Haruhi said that she would never invite us over to her house."

Harry thought for a moment. "So you're going to 'fight' until she agrees to it?"

"Hikaru has a good plan."

"Well, let him know that I won't say anything."

"I told him you might figure it out. I'll tell him."

Harry paused as he took out his bento. "Should I avoid the cafeteria due to an 'impromptu' food fight?"

"Maybe."

Harry grinned. "Have fun."

A little over halfway through lunch, Haruhi returned.

Harry looked at the girl. "Food fight?"

"How did you know?"

"Fighting twins plus easy access to projectiles. It's a recipe for disaster."

Haruhi nodded. "You said that you've dealt with twins similar to Hikaru and Kaoru."

Harry nodded.

"Did they ever do anything like this before?"

Harry shrugged. "They would occasionally disagree, but they weren't anywhere near so…enthusiastic."

"Any tips?"

Harry shrugged. "You either let it blow over, force them to reconcile, or give them what they want."

Haruhi looked confused. "Give them what they want?"

Harry nodded. "The twins that I knew pretended to fight until the girls they liked agreed to go out with them. But I don't really know if that applies here. What started the fight?"

Haruhi sighed and relayed what happened.

Harry winced sympathetically. "Yeah I don't know how to fix that. Hikaru and Kaoru have asked me several times how I tell them apart, but I won't tell them.

After the second half of Classes, Kaoru approached Harry asking for a Beelzenef doll. Harry shook his head. "Umehito-senpai is the one that sells those."

The Host Club wasn't open for business that day. So a distraction really wasn't needed. When Harry left the Black Magic Club with Gabrielle on his arm, the twins were shouting at each other in front of a pile of furniture. Kaoru pulled out the Beelzenef doll that he bought and wrote on the back. Harry's eyes widened when Haruhi came over and pounded the two of them on the head. Sure enough, she 'invited' them over if they reconciled.

As the Host Club was in shock, Harry clapped a few times. "Well done. Well done indeed. I think we all learned something today, didn't we?"

Hikaru looked at Harry. "Thanks for not ruining things Harry."

The rest of the Host Club turned to stare at Harry. "YOU KNEW?!"

Harry shrugged. "I knew that the fight was staged, but I didn't know why."

Haruhi's jaw dropped. "That's why you said to give them what they wanted."

Harry nodded. "That and I promised Kaoru that I wouldn't tell. I wanted to see how it all played out."

Kaoru looked at Gabrielle. "By the way, our mother wanted to know if after school tomorrow works for you."

Gabrielle nodded. "That is fine." She looked at Harry. "You're coming with me. I need your opinion."

"Coming where?"

"It's a surprise."

"I have Club activities tomorrow."

"So do I, but this is more important. I'm sure that Nekozawa-senpai will understand your absence." Gabrielle turned. "Isn't that right Nekozawa-senpai?"

Nekozawa flinched. The girl somehow knew he was there. He had been trying to escape. "O-o-of course. Now if you will excuse me, I have a dark tome to find." He ran for the door leading out of the Music Room.

Gabrielle patted Harry's arm. "See? Now you're free after school tomorrow."

Harry rolled his eyes and the pair left the Music Room.

Tamaki was gawking. "Was it just me, or did Nekozawa-senpai seem scared of her?"

The next day, Mrs. Hitachin succeeded in earning a bottle of wine. At least if Harry's dropped jaw, wide eyes, and more than occasional blush were anything to judge by.

About two weeks after the Twins' fight Gabrielle was walking to meet up with Harry when a taller boy with black hair took a photo of her. Annoyed, Gabrielle's control on her Allure slipped slightly. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Taking your picture. A beauty like you should be photographed."

Gabrielle's control slipped further. "And what will you do with the photo?"

"I'm part of the Newspaper Club and we're going to publish a story of how you're being blackmailed by a killer into dating him."

Gabrielle's control really slipped now. "Why don't you take me to your club? I could tell you exactly what is happening."

"Of course, follow me; I'll get us there right away. Did you know that I've…" It was at this point that Gabrielle began plotting. This filth was planning on harming her Mate. She needed to burn the plant at the root.

As the taller teen led her into a room, Gabrielle intentionally flared her Allure, catching the attention of the other two boys. All three were immediately enthralled.

"Why are you writing a story about Harry Potter?"

The oldest of the three spoke up. "To free you from his clutches. It's not fair that someone like him has a beauty like you."

Gabrielle frowned before smiling winningly. "Do you know what would make me happy?"

"Anything! Tell us and it will be yours."

"I want all of your research into Harry Potter and myself."

Pictures, notes, and the mostly written story were all placed before her, with the boys fighting over who did what. Fire burned within her at the invasion of privacy and the lies that were set to be published.

Reminding herself that this was to protect her Mate, Gabrielle simpered. "If you delete everything from your computers, I'll reward you."

The three boys fought over deleting the files and pictures. When it was done, Gabrielle grinned and flung out her hand to cast a spell. "Obliviate!" Once the spell took hold, Gabrielle cast a compulsion on the group, pouring her ire into the spell. "You will not write another story about me or Harry Potter. If you do, what little proof there is that you are male will be ripped off and roasted over open flames!" Gabrielle gathered everything up that was in front of her and headed towards the incinerator on campus before the trio could recover from the spells.

Gabrielle took great pleasure in dropping the papers and pictures into the garbage to be burned. She hesitated at a picture of Harry changing for gym class. That was slipped into her satchel. So were several of the nice ones or them being together. The unflattering ones Gabrielle happily dumped into the disposal chute and she walked away with a vindictive smile on her face.

The Newspaper Club shook off their stupor. Akira looked at his lackeys. "Chikage, Tomochika, any rumors that you've heard?" He stared at the flip calendar on his desk, before flipping open his phone in shock. How had he lost a week and a half of time? Best not to say anything. People would think he was crazy. Akira's thoughts would be echoed by the other two members within the next few minutes.

Meanwhile in the Black Magic Club, Harry was surprised when a girl about his age approached him. "Um, Harry, can I ask you a favor?"

Harry nodded. "Sure Reiko, what's up?"

"You're friends with the Host Club, right?"

Harry considered that for a moment. "I guess you could say that."

"I must speak with Haninozuka-senpai."

"Okay. Can I tell him why?"

"He has stolen my soul!"

Harry noted that the girl had a blush as she said this. "Let me guess, you can't think straight around him, and several other things?"

Reiko was shocked. "Yes. As always, your insight into the darker aspects of magic is astonishing."

Harry smiled. "I'll let him know that you want to talk to him."

"Thank you." The girl looked nervous. "How do you talk to a non-magical? My family has never really interacted with the Mundane World outside of business. Even then I was too young for it."

Harry was surprised at that. "The same way you would talk to me or anyone else, I guess." Harry frowned. "Your family won't have a problem with you talking to him, will they?"

Reiko shook her head. "Several first generations magic users have married into the family, and I had a cousin fall in love with a non-magical and they're a happy couple."

Harry glanced at his watch and frowned. Gabrielle was normally here by now. In fact she was almost twenty minutes late.

Harry finished up his potion and bottled up a few samples before keeping the rest for personal use once it was approved. As he was done cleaning up, Gabrielle entered the room. She waited until he was finished before flinging herself at her Mate.

Harry was surprised as her kiss seemed far more possessive than usual. "Gabby, is everything okay?" There seemed to be an almost satisfied glint in her eye.

"It is now."

As they walked out of the room, Harry spotted a boy in a green uniform in a cage. He shook his head. "I'm not even going to ask."

Harry went over to where Mitsukini was eating some cake. "Honey-senpai, I have a favor to ask of you."

The short blonde looked at Harry, remnants of cake on his cheeks. "Yes?"

Harry gestured to the door to the Black Magic Club. "One of the members of my club has a bit of a crush on you. She wants to talk to you, but like several members of the club, we aren't the most socially adept people."

Reiko was peering out the door. When she saw Potter go talk to Honey, she froze. As Honey's gaze met hers, Reiko's heart began beating rapidly and she ducked back inside the club room.

Honey, on the other hand, frantically backed away. "She's the girl that has been doing all the weird stuff!"

"Weird stuff?"

Harry was then treated to a long treatise of what the girl had been doing. Harry shook his head slightly. "I can promise that she means you no harm. In all truth, from what I know of her Reiko is a very shy, but rather nice girl. At a guess, that was her way of working up the courage to talk to you."

Honey didn't know what to make of that.

Mori spoke up. "Have her come to the Host Club."

Harry blinked in surprise. "I didn't really think about that." He went back over to the door to talk to Reiko. When he suggested the idea, Gabby stepped in. "It would be perfect. You could even request a privacy screen."

Reiko blushed at the idea of spending time with Honey before Gabrielle led her over to Kyoya to set something up.

As they left the Host Club, Harry looked at Gabby. "I'm surprised that you weren't angry that I was helping her out."

Gabrielle looked confused. "Why would I be?"

Harry looked nervous. "Well, you pretty thoroughly made sure that Haruhi wasn't interested and I saw how you looked at Hiakru's and Kaoru's maids when they commented on an outfit."

Gabrielle sniffed condescendingly. "You were encouraging a girl to look at another man and not be interested in you. Of course I would support it."

The kid in the cage cried out, "Hey, Scarface! Are you just going to leave me here?!"

Gabrielle stormed over to the cage, reached through the bars, and hauled the kid up to her eye level. "What did you just call him?!"

The vision of rage was enough to cause Shiro to pale. He stammered unintelligibly for a bit.

Gabrielle whispered. "If you ever insult him again, you won't make it to Middle School. Am. I. Clear?!"

"Crystal."

Gabrielle dropped the boy and Shiro scuttled to the far side of the cage. Gabrielle skipped back to Harry's side, ignoring his facepalming at her actions.

The Twins spoke up once they left. "Boss, you're right. I think Nekozawa-senpai is afraid of her."

Honey had hidden behind Mori. "She can be scarier than Renge."

Kyoya made another annotation in his notebook.

As Harry and Gabrielle left the campus, Akira glanced out the window looking for inspiration for a story. His eyes lit on a couple walking through the courtyard. Harry Potter. There were several rumors circulating about him and the Middle School student. That would be a good… Crippling fear crept into Akira's heart, followed by rather vivid visions of being violently emasculated. Maybe he should find another target. As soon as he changed his pants.

The next few weeks were relatively normal. The only possible diversion was when Gabrielle tried to convince Harry to accept an invitation to the beach from Hikaru and Kaoru. This led to a discussion about how Harry was still self-conscious about his scars. Gabrielle then came up with a wonderful idea to help Harry get over that. And in her mind, it was better than the beach anyway. The Friday that the Host Club was leaving, Gabrielle went to Harry's house. She changed into her bikini in Harry's bathroom. As she slipped into the outfit, she remembered how gobsmacked Harry had been when he had seen it the first time.

Flashback

Gabby had been handed a bikini by Mrs. Hitachin and changed into it. The fabric was gossamer silver with just a hint of blue when it hit the light just right. As a two-piece went, it was more modest than some of the other options. When she looked at herself in the mirror, Gabby was impressed. The woman knew what worked. The suit was cute and sexy at the same time.

When she exited the room to model for Harry, the defeater of Voldemort's jaw dropped, his eyes went wide, and his face pinked slightly. Gabby smiled sultrily at her mate and his face became redder. Perfect. The fact that she was given a significantly less modest suit in the same fabric had Gabby grinning.

Flashback End

Gabby then called for Dobby and told him to get Harry's swimsuit ready. She then pulled out a large vinyl pool and asked the House Elf to magically inflate it and get it full of water. Gabrielle also ordered the House Elf to not touch her clothes. Dobby agreed and popped away. As she had approached the house, Gabby had cast several charms around the property so that no one would notice anything for the next few hours. Gabby reached into her bag and pulled out a pair of beach towels and a bottle of sunscreen. She then went into the office, where Harry was reading over business statements and coyly posed using the door frame.

Harry looked up from what he was working on. He almost swallowed his tongue.

Gabby grinned as she saw her mate's reaction. She then skipped over and hauled Harry out of his chair. "Let's go!"

Harry was halfway up the stairs before he could speak again. "Gabby, what are you doing?"

Gabby pulled Harry into his room and pointed to the pair of board shorts on the bed. "Get changed."

"Gabby, what are you doing?"

"I have something planned."

Harry shook his head. "I don't want to go swimming."

Gabby gained an evil glint in her eye and kicked the door shut. "Well, if you don't want to have some fun I guess I'll change back." She reached up to untie the top of her suit.

"What are you doing?"

"Changing. What else?"

"GABBY!"

Gabrielle grinned as she slowly untied the knot and pointedly moved so that Harry couldn't get around her. "As I see it, your options are: you get changed or I change out of this into the outfit that I have available to me right now and I'll stay that way all day long."

Harry was a little confused. "But you don't have any clothes in here."

Gabrielle's gaze was heated. "Exactly."

Harry chalked it up to his hormones that he really wanted to see the knot come undone and to take the second option. He acquiesced. "Fine." As Harry went to pull off his shirt, he frowned. "Are you going to give me some privacy?"

Gabrielle pouted and folded her arms under her bust. "You're no fun." She left the room.

Harry stared at the door for a long moment before changing into the shorts that had been laid out for him.

Harry was then taken to his backyard where a large vinyl pool had been inflated and filled. It was the kind that he had seen kids playing in but never had been given the chance to try himself.

Gabby grinned. "Don't worry about anything. I've set up several charms to have people ignore your yard for the next few hours. The shade of the tree will help too." She looked adoringly at her mate. He was so handsome and rugged. "If you won't go to the beach, then we can at least have some fun playing in the water, can't we?"

Harry smiled slightly. He had always wanted to play in a pool like that and it was large enough for an adult. "Yes we can."

Gabrielle laid out the towels. "First things first. I don't want to get a sunburn, and I'm pretty sure you don't either, so we have to put on sunscreen."

Gabrielle then showed Harry how to apply it, smiling internally at how she had captivated him again. She handed Harry the tube. "Your turn." Gabrielle had to admit, she was just as captivated when Harry repeated her actions. When Harry sat the tube down, Gabby shook her head. "Turn around. I'll get your back."

Harry obliged and soon discovered that Gabby was rather dedicated to ensuring that his back wouldn't burn. Harry almost choked when Gabrielle turned, untied her suit, and lay down on the towel; allowing him to see the pale expanse of her back. "Your turn."

Harry had to admit, that this was an enjoyable activity. However, he didn't think that the soft moans and gasps were really necessary.

When Harry pronounced that he was done, Gabrielle frowned at the loss of the feeling of his hands on her body. She re-tied the suit and stood. "Let's have some fun."

Gabrielle then pulled Harry into the pool. A massive splash war started, but thanks to magic, it quickly spiraled into something much more than a splash war. When both sides agreed that it had been fun and that the water war should have a brief truce, the pair lounged in the pool. Harry sat against the soft edge of the pool, made slightly firmer with charms to hold it's shape, simply running his hands through the water. "This was fun."

Gabrielle grinned as she was leaning on her mate. "I'm glad. I had fun too." Gabrielle was slowly tracing Harry's scars. As she did so, the fire that she had been pushing back began to flare again. She eased her way up Harry's body and languidly kissed him. Gabrielle slid herself atop Harry, relishing the skin contact. The heat that burned under her skin was a counterpoint to the cool water in the pool and it was accented by the electricity that she felt as their skin touched.

When Gabrielle pulled away, Harry noted that a small ring of silver surrounded her pupil in her normally sky-blue eyes.

Gabrielle pressed herself against her Mate, relishing in the feel of it. She began kissing along the various scars on his torso that were above the water. Gabrielle was surprised as Harry's hands rested on her shoulders and pushed her away. "Stop Gabby."

Gabrielle frowned. "Why? Your scars are a part of you. I don't care about them. I thought I made myself clear."

"But I do."

Gabby frowned at her mate. "Harry Potter if I want to kiss your scars I will." She pushed his hands away and resumed her previous activities. When she was pushed away a second time, Gabrielle was irritated. She didn't let Harry speak. She grabbed Harry's wrists and pushed herself against him, causing the pool to change shape slightly. Gabrielle whispered in Harry's ear. "What will it take for you to realize that scars or not, I love you?" She pulled back slightly. "I meant what I said. You are mine forever and always Harry Potter. If anything, I think that you are strong enough to be my Mate." She nibbled on Harry's neck while rubbing slightly against him. "I won't let something as silly as some scarring get in the way of loving you. I promise. I didn't Choose you until after it had already happened." Gabrielle stared into his beautiful eyes, willing him to feel what she felt for him. As his eyes softened slightly, Gabrielle couldn't hold herself back anymore and kissed him soundly.

Gabrielle was happily surprised as Harry began kissing back. He had only made half-hearted attempts before. Had she not been focusing on not letting the fire within her get out of control, Gabrielle would be jumping for joy.

Harry could almost feel Gabby's sincerity as she spoke to him. A small voice in the back of his mind spoke up, insisting that the girl was telling the truth. As their lips joined another time, Harry's arms tightened around Gabby, pressing their bodies together again. Instead of letting Gabrielle plunder his mouth, he retaliated, pushing his tongue into her mouth.

Harry's thoughts became slightly fuzzy, but he did realize that this was better than just letting her kiss him.

Once they separated again, Gabrielle began kissing and nipping on Harry's neck as she resumed kissing Harry's body once again.

As Harry let Gabby do what she wanted, he realized that it wasn't bad having a girl like Gabby doing things like this. When she had begun to rub against him and Harry felt himself begin to respond, he was slightly nervous what Gabrielle might do, so he lifted her mouth back to his and did his best to keep her focused on his lips.

As the girl's fervor finally began to come under control, Gabrielle pulled back; content and she rested her head on Harry's shoulder. Her eyes widened slightly as she noticed two things. The first was that Harry had definitely enjoyed their little session. The second was that somewhere between the water fight and the subsequent drive to cool the fire that was burning in her, the knot keeping her top up had come undone. Gabrielle wasn't complaining. Well, she was inwardly frowning that the suit hadn't slid further. As it stood, it had slipped to the level of her second bikini. Gabrielle simply pondered as to how best to use the situation to her advantage. Her top was nowhere near off, but there was a choice to be made. Gabrielle briefly toyed with the idea of simply removing her top, but to Harry that would be coming on too strong, too fast. Besides, it wouldn't give her the opportunity to have a repeat of the event on another day with the other suit she was given.

After rubbing against him a few times just to enjoy the feeling, Gabrielle moved her arms one at a time to pull the strings back up over her shoulders and tie them back in place. She grinned as Harry's arms slightly tightened around her as he realized what she was doing. After all, it was better that he think that she was not trying to broadcast what was going on.

Her suit back in place, Gabrielle stood. "Well, I think it is time for lunch." She left the pool, slowly bent over to pick up the bottle of sunscreen and towel before straightening and heading inside. She took five steps before looking over her shoulder at Harry, whose gaze had been firmly planted on her. "Aren't you coming?" Gabrielle grinned and headed inside.

On the other hand, Harry was a bit of a wreck. He was simply enjoying holding Gabrielle when she shifted and he felt fabric drag on his skin. He saw Gabrielle trying to retie her top without drawing attention to the act. That made Harry focus on what he felt on his chest and what that meant. With how Gabby had been acting, it wouldn't have been a surprise if she had simply left the string untied, or removed the top altogether. The fact that she was not trying to draw attention to what she was doing left Harry confused. Harry felt his face heat up at what was occurring, but if she was attempting to not have him know, the least he could do was play along. However the slow scrape of fabric separating their skin was torturous. Harry's arms tightened reflexively. When Gabby had stood, water sluicing off her form, Harry was transfixed. Gabby was more than pretty, she was breathtaking. Harry stared at the girl's backside as she bent over. When she asked him if he was coming in, Harry shook himself from his stupor. He settled in the pool, waiting for his reaction to recede.

As he did so, Harry began arguing with himself over what had just occurred. He had had a rather nice snog with a girl in a pool. Said girl was beautiful, and was entirely likely more than willing to do most if not all of the things Sirius had spoken to him about during that embarrassing discussion. Part of that was because she saw Harry as her mate, but her words came back to him. She had fallen in love with him and a little scarring wasn't going to stop that. Harry stood from the pool and grabbed his towel. Maybe he would give this a shot. What did guys do about girls and dates? He had vaguely recalled that dinner and a movie was a safe bet.

After changing, the pair ate a nice lunch provided by Dobby. As they ate, Gabrielle noted that Harry started to say something but he kept hesitating. Near the end of the meal, Harry blurted out, "Would you like to go to the movies with me tonight?"

Gabrielle sharply drew in a breath. Harry was asking her on a date?! A smile crept across Gabrielle's face before she lunged towards her mate.

Harry was nervous and when he blurted that out, Gabrielle froze. Harry watched in unease before Gabby's face split with a smile. Harry heard one word: "YES!" Gabrielle then jumped over the table to send the pair of them crashing to the floor.

Instead of kissing her Mate, Gabrielle held him tight. Dating was the first step to Harry calling her his girlfriend. Besides, kisses were for after dates.

From her position on his chest, Gabby asked, "So what movie are we going to watch?"

Harry balked. "I don't know what is playing."

Gabby grinned. "Go get changed and we'll head on out."

Harry had to smile. "I can't get changed with you laying on me like this."

The rest of the day was spent at the theater and then in a small café, simply talking.

After a rather toe-curling kiss, Harry left Gabrielle at her door.