French language

Dragon speaking

Apparently Artemis' discomfort was noticeable as he felt someone step up beside him and gently grasp his hand. The hand felt incredibly soft and warm and… just… right in his hand, like it fit perfectly in his. He looked to his side to see whom the owner of the hand was and immediately stared in sky blue eyes. Out of the corner of his eyes he saw long strands of blond hair cascading around the face of which the eyes belong to.

Fleur gave him a comforting smile and started gently tracing a pattern on the back of his hand with her thumb. He answered the smile with his own, yet it didn't reach his eyes.

"What's wrong Arti?" Fleur asked in her gentle and soothing voice bearably hearable to the people around them.

"Nothing" he returned.

He could clearly see that she didn't believe him so he quickly pulled back his gaze to the incoming party to only softly groan in disparity.

In the brief moment he had pulled away his eyes from Dumbledore and the Potters, 2 men had joined up to them. One of the men owns grey eyes and salt and pepper coloured hair that had distinct curls in them. He was dressed nicely and was for sure pleasantly to watch for the female sex.

The other man was different, his clothes weren't bad at all, but you could see that they had endured some work. The man owned short brown hair and blue eyes.

The nicely dressed up man is Sirius Orion Black, Lord Black since the death of his grandfather, but more importantly he is Artemis or actually Harry Potter's godfather. Not that he ever honoured his godfather duties… The shabby clothed man is Remus Lupin, godfather of Gerard Potter and unknown to most; a werewolf.

The party finally reached them and Dumbledore stepped up with such a obnoxious twinkling in his eyes that Artemis wanted nothing more to hex it out of his eyes

"Greetings young man. I am Albus Dumbledore; Headmaster of Hogwarts" and he extended his hand out.

Artemis hesitantly shook it and let go. 'You have a lot more responsibilities than only being headmaster Dumbledore. You won't fool me' he thought to himself

Dumbledore continued in a grandfatherly tone "Let me introduce you to the people behind him" he turned around and gestured to each person behind him as he named them "This is Remus Lupin, this is Sirius Black or officially Lord Black, this lovely couple is James and Lily Potter"

He swept his hand over to the people behind Artemis and smiled "Of course behind you are the Delacours but it seems you are already well acquainted with them" as he pointedly looked at the entwined hands of him and Fleur and Gabrielle that stood very close to him.

"There is only one more person to introduce, but it seems that you already met him on a certain graveyard" he grandfatherly gestured towards Gerard. Who was looking very smug with himself

"He told us what transpired at the graveyard and we would like to thank you Mr…?"

"Artemis… Artemis Ladon"

Dumbledore smile grew " We would like to thank you Mr Ladon for the safe return of our champion"

As if on cue James Potter stepped forward and extended his hand "Me and Lily would like to thank you too Mr Ladon." Artemis didn't want to shake the hand of his father but it would do more harm than good to refuse it, so he shook it quickly and dropped his hand again.

If James noticed the not wholehearted shake of the hand he didn't let that on as he immediately continued very enthusiastically; "Gerard told us how you arrived and battled the Death eaters while he duelled Voldemort. I do have to say on the lack of wounds on either of you, you probably made one hell of a team out there"

Artemis' face grew cold and that didn't go unnoticed by the others as Sirius, Remus and Lily exchanged curious glances with each other. Only Dumbledore didn't react or didn't show any reaction for whatever reason.

Artemis eyes shifted from James to Gerard. His eyes narrowed as he saw the little shit trying to act all confident and powerful and sneaked hungry looks to Fleur who was still beside him. "Really….? He duelled the Dark Lord? How….. interesting"

This apparently confused the others as Sirius stepped up and asked "What do you mean interesting? You were there right? So you saw him fighting Voldemort!"

Artemis at this point was starting to get angry, that piece of shit is trying to claim all achievements on himself… Gloat all you want boy, but the Dark Lord will destroy you without me.

He turned his eyes and stared straight into the grey ones of Sirius.

He couldn't help but just squirm a little bit under that cold look from Artemis, whatever James and I just said, the stranger clearly didn't find it amusing.

"I find it 'interesting' that this boy managed to duel the Dark Lord while stuck to a statue and without his wand. That is a feat that not even Mister Dumbledore can perform" Artemis sarcastically said

Dumbledore didn't like where the conversation was going and tried to step in "Gentlemen please-" but he was cut off by James

"What do you mean!? He wasn't stuck to a statue! And he DID have a wand! Gerard told us he was released from the statue and he duelled Voldemort! Are you accusing my son of lying!? Trying to crawl in his deserved spotlight!?" James accusingly shouted at Artemis. James famous temper and protectiveness of Gerard didn't take long to rise up

Artemis didn't flinch nor move a single muscle in his body as he watched the Potter patriarch lose his cool.

"Will you kindly shut up you idiot" he snarled at James. "Your precious son was cowering like a little baby at that graveyard and didn't do shit. If it wasn't for me stepping up and interfering that little idiot, that is trying to act all powerful while he has the magical potential of a fucking squib, would have been killed in not even a second by the Dark Lord"

At that moment Gerard decided to poke his smug face in the discussion "I am the Boy-Who-Lived! I am more powerful than you! I defeated the Dark Lord while I was a baby!"

Artemis eyes started to glow a little as he stared deep into the hazel ones of Gerard and saw the boy squirming a little. He scoffed "Oh yeah kid? I didn't see that tonight you arrogant shit! keep hiding behind your mothers skirt boy! Because the next time you are in a dangerous situation you can't handle with your incompetent head I won't be there to save you! We both know what happened there and we both know that you can't defeat him!"

"Don't talk to him like that! He is the Boy-Who-Lived! He is more important than a nobody like you- " James started but Dumbledore interfered again and this time successfully .

"Gentlemen please, this is just a misunderstanding" he placated to both of them

Artemis just huffed "A misunderstanding? Please….. That arrogant brat is lying.. The only misunderstanding here is that this idiot in front of me is too stupid to see that!"

James face grew red from the blatant insult "Listen here boy! My son is an excellent politely raised boy!"

This time it was Fleur that scoffed "Oh please! He has been trying to get in my skirt all year long. He acts arrogant and unmannered and just because some fancy title he thinks he owns everything and everybody"

"Now listen here you.. you.. you filthy halfbr-" James shouted but he was cut off by his own shock when he felt something sharp pricking into the skin just below his chin.

His wide open eyes immediately looked down to see a yellow-orange mixed coloured sword pointed at him with the tip of the sword just applying enough pressure under his chin to draw a small amount of blood. His eyes shot up to look at the wielder of the sword for only to stare into almost glowing gold eyes that were boring deep into his. The fury in the eyes was clearly evident giving James a clear message, never badmouth the Delacours

"I wouldn't finish that sentence… you wouldn't like the consequences" Artemis coldly hissed while applying just a little bit more pressure with his sword to send across the message on just what those consequences hold.

Everybody was silent, all processing the fact the sword appeared out of thin air in less than a blink of the eye. Normally Gerard would have put a foot in his mouth and started raging on the disrespect to his father, but he having witnessed what the stranger could do with that sword was instilled with fear. That didn't stop everybody beside Dumbledore to draw their wand.

Dumbledore once again tried to contain the situation "Mr Ladon, James please calm down and lower your weapon" completely ignoring the fact that Artemis not once raised his voice throughout this "I'm sure that we got onto the wrong foot this evening. What do you say that we retire to Hogwarts and continue the talks about tonight in the quiet of my office?"

Inwardly a battle was raging, he wanted nothing more to strike down James. To take revenge for his youth, for all the neglect imposed on him. The fact that he insulted Fleur.. His Fleur.. It only increased that feeling, but he knew that it wasn't the smart thing or the right thing to do. The fallout would be huge and the Delacours, even though unaware of his identity before Artemis Ladon, wouldn't want him to act on his feeling of revenge and anger. And the Delacours were his everything, his new family.. And disappointing them is the last thing that he wanted do.

He felt a soft hand on his outstretched right hand holding the sword, the hand was softly applying pressure to lower his arm. He felt a warm breath near his ear and heard the soft whisper "Don't Artemis"

He turned his head and met those blue eyes, silently pleading him to hold his temper, if only for her sake. And god knows it he can't refuse her anything. He knew it hurt her every time she was called a 'creature' or 'a half-breed' yet she always let it go. "The only people that matter to me don't see me as a half-breed or creature and that is all that matters Artemis. You and my family protect my honour when I'm called those petty things and that's all that's important okay?" she once told him

With an almost unnoticeable nod of his head, he slowly lowered his sword and with a flick of his wrist it disappeared. Some of the tension between the 2 groups disappeared. And Artemis just wanted this to end, he fought the Dark Lord, had a verbal fight with his own bloody father about that idiot of a brother and even held James at the tip of his sword.

He turned his head and saw the Delacours except Fleur, who was still standing beside him; her hand never having left his arm, behind him standing very tense. The questionable gaze of Jean didn't go unnoticed by Artemis

They had seen a side to him that hadn't yet seen daylight. He had dealt with plenty of unpleasant people before in the presence of the Delacours, but he had never left his cool and started swearing or even drew his weapons unless needed for his or their defence. He knew questions would be asked about tonight.

Gabrielle just watched him in silent awe like she always did, he never could do wrong in her eyes. Softly sighing he flicked his wrist, conjuring a vial in his hand. Slowly in a none threatening way he raised his other hand, Fleur and pressed index finger to the side of his head, slowly extracting his finger they saw a silvery worm like thing attached to his finger.

He lowered, what most wizards would know, memories into the vial and he flicked his hand and it grew blue for a quick second, indicating that it was charmed with an unbreakable charm. Everybody was looking very curious to the vial, wondering what memory was in the vial.

His now free hand crossed to his heart he said "I, Artemis Ladon, hereby swear on my magic and life that the memories contained in the vial in my left hand are untampered with. So mote it be" and a flash of white light appeared as magic acknowledged the magical oath.

He stretched the hand that was above his heart out palm facing up and flames appeared in his hand. "As you can see I still have my magic" Artemis said with a flat tone

He stepped up and held the vial out to Dumbledore "If you want to see what truly happened at that graveyard from the moment I arrived, you should watch this. You might be able to convince an idiot or 2 from the ministry about his return with this"

Dumbledore gave a nod and smiled grandfatherly as he took the vial. "Thank you Mr Ladon. I'm sure we can get ball rolling at the Ministry"

Artemis gave an indication "It's been a long day, with many more to come with the Dark Lords return; I will take my leave for tonight"

"As will we" he heard Jean say in his slightly French accented English

Artemis turned around and was starting to leave when a question was asked that he knew was coming "Mr Ladon? How can we contact you if we ever need your help?"

He turned his head and look slightly over his shoulder to Dumbledore "I'm sure that Jean and Appoline are willing to relay any messages" to which Dumbledore nodded

Artemis felt a tug on his arm and saw Gabrielle looking drowsily up to him, the night and it's excitement catching up to her. Knowing what she wanted he picked her up and carried her bridal style. Gabrielle sighing contently as she nuzzled her head into his chest as they walked away to return home.


Once they had arrived at Delacour Manor, Artemis had excused himself fairly quickly after tucking Gabrielle into her bed. Promising that they would talk tomorrow morning about this day's events, he walked outside and vanished in his almost trademark flames back to his castle, leaving behind Fleur and her parents in the living room of the manor.

They were deep in thoughts and trying to process what tonight happened, not the Dark Lord's return was on their mind, but the strange behaviour of Artemis when he returned and was confronted with Dumbledore and the Potters.

Eventually Appoline broke the silence "Flower, you don't know the reason why Artemis lost his cool with the Potters and Dumbledore tonight?"

Fleur looked up from where she was seated on the couch, her head on her hand supported by an elbow on the arm couch "No mama, he never mentioned something specific about the Potters; only things about Gerard when he appeared in the papers for something. He didn't like him that was clear"

Appoline nodded, she too noticed that Artemis has no love lost for the famous Potter boy, always getting a sour look when his name and/or face appeared in the papers.

"Whatever it is, it got him hard, I've never seen him react so aggressive. The only time he seems like that is when one of the girls loses her allure in public and attract unwanted attention, but even then he is more cool and collected" Jean added thoughtfully

"I think that if I didn't interfere when he pulled his sword…." Fleur shuddered only from the thought alone

Jean and Appoline nodded in agreement, dreading what could have happened.. He was really really angry when James Potter tried to insult Fleur. He always got angry when she was insulted, but he always reacted on that through verbal uses, always disrespecting and humiliating the insulter in retaliation. But tonight he went straight into violent territory by pulling his sword, his Dragon Rider weapon… Their pretty much equivalent tool to the wizard's wand

"check on him Fleur. Aphrodite knows what him being alone in such a mood will do for him." Appoline pleaded her

Artemis has always had the tendency when things got rough or bad to just crop it up inside of him and never reveal anything to outsiders, he never once told them anything about his life before he arrived at Chateau de Dragons, but they all had their sneaking suspicion that it wasn't a good one.

Fleur quickly looked at her father and saw him nod in agreement. Fleur always managed to get him out of his self-destructive moods. Even a blind man could see that out of all 4 Delacours, Fleur was the closest one to Artemis. Not to say that he, Appoline and Gabrielle weren't close at all with him, but the bond Fleur and Artemis shared processed just a little bit further than the parent-child bond of Jean and Appoline with him and the sister-brother bond with him and Gabrielle.

Fleur quickly rose from the couch and made way to the fire place connected to the floo-network in the other room, the shout from Fleur and the sounds of a blazing fire alerted the only 2 Delacours in the living room of the departure of Fleur.

The Delacour parents shared a knowing look "She didn't even protest at all" Jean said while beginning to chuckle. Appoline just sighed in agreement

Jean and Appoline are hoping for several years now that Fleur and Artemis finally realise what they had for several years now, they aren't brother and sister, they are more than that.

They had both their sneaking suspicions that Fleur and Artemis both knew that their feelings go further than those of brother and sister, but that they are too scared to reveal their feelings to each other.

Fleur has always dealt with coldness from outsiders and is probably most afraid of being rejected by Artemis and that rejection causing one of the few warmly connection with people she has to disappear.

And Artemis is probably afraid of losing his family connection with them if Fleur rejected him or if she reciprocated his feelings that for some reason the relationship goes wrong and is no longer welcome with them.

Even though they didn't actively pushed them together, they did of course do small little things like allowing them do fun activities together when Fleur was back from Beauxbatons during holidays, like visiting Paris together or go to muggle festivals with each other. And many other things normally parents were a bit reserved to allowing their children to do unsupervised.


Fleur stepped out of a marble decorated fire place inside an absolute huge entrance hall, the hall was coloured in white with the floor coloured with light blue tiles.. The entrance hall was filled with statues of dragons and other dragon-like creatures on both sides against the walls, on display on the walls were painting of certain important events for the Dragon Riders. The painting were in chronical form, with the oldest events displayed closest to the entrance doorway. The painting and statues gave you the feeling as if you were reliving history as you moved further into the entrance hall

She remembered advising him on styling and decorating the castle. Fleur, absolutely loving the light blue colour of Beauxbatons, made sure that colour was clearly representative inside the castle.

For Fleur Chateau de Dragons was her dream castle, the place she wouldn't mind living until her death. She had spent plenty of days in the castle ever since Artemis revealed the castle and his powers and abilities to the Delacours, merely a year after meeting the boy on that summer day in Paris.

The reveal of his life was spurn on by the fact that, Jean and Appoline one day after dining at Delacour Manor promptly presented him the possibility of adopting him.

He couldn't accept the adoption as in fact legally, no Artemis Ladon existed. The ritual for changing his identity only made sure that Harry Potter became Artemis Ladon in the eyes of magic, it didn't out of thin air made birth papers appear.

With pain in his heart he declined the offer and after seeing the clear hurt by his refusal he explained his abilities and where he lived. Upon explaining his new identity he was confronted with questions of who he was legally. Yet he told them that that chapter was closed and would be taken with him to his grave.

Fleur knew that the place he would go to if he was in a 'brooding' mood was his bedchamber balcony, so she started traversing through corridors and stairs until she stood in front of his bedroom chamber doors.

She slowly opened the door and quickly peeked inside to see if she didn't caught him in a state of undress. Not seeing him inside of him room and not hearing the shower, she found it safe to enter his room and she closed the door behind her.

She quietly padded over to the see-through door leading to the balcony. And as she predicted she saw him standing there on the balcony staring into the night sky. Internally Fleur felt quiet proud she knew arguably the most powerful wizard so well that she could locate him on a mere prediction.

She slowly and quietly opened the door and stepped onto the balcony. The moment she was on the balcony she was met with the soft warm French night air, she could feel a slight cooling breeze pass making it a very pleasant night to stand outside.

Fleur smiled as she thought back to all those days she and Artemis, sometimes joined with Gabrielle, had spent on this balcony, watching over the cliff into the nature that spread around the castle and seeing dragons from time to time fly around in the air.

Although the beautiful view the balcony normally had was obscured by the darkness, she didn't find staring into the darkness on this balcony any worse. It had a very romantic feeling standing on this balcony watching at the night sky and the sparkling stars that were scattered around.

Her deepest desire was to spent the day and night with Artemis on this balcony not as pseudo-siblings but as lovers, softly hugging each other as they would stare of into the distance. Only shifting their gazes from the horizon from time to time to stare into each other's eyes.

More than once she cursed her own fear of declaring her affection for the man standing in front of her, but she couldn't handle the possible rejection that could come with it. He meant a lot for her, more than probably even her parents, and possibly losing the bond that was already there due to a rejection and the aftermath of it, was something she feared the most.

Fleur was in no way unconfident, but still a thought lingered on in her mind; how could a man so powerful ever love someone like her. Once word gets out of his power, women of better heritage and statute then her. After all, she, how much you twist and turn, is still viewed as creature by most of magical society.

Unknown to her, several moments passed on as she was lost in her thought. Artemis of course knew she was there, he felt the wards announce her arrival and he felt her magical signature for a while now.

Even through his somewhat dark mood, he couldn't help but smile as she had come specifically for him. She didn't know it, but her presence always lifted most of his moods.

He smiled softly as he remembered all the times they had spent together, standing on this very balcony, telling each other stories and laughing. The memories could only improve if the beautiful blond witch he was talking and laughing with was in his arms and that soft loving kisses would be exchanged.

Almost at the same moment as the blue eyed veela witch behind him cursed herself for her fear and cowardice, he did the same to himself.

He wished desperately that he could step over his fear and proclaim his affection for her, but the possibility of rejection and losing his new family and in his opinion the only family he ever had, was too huge to ignore for him.

He felt her come closer and moments later he felt arms encircling his upper body and a soft head being supported on his shoulder. He basked in the feeling of being held by Fleur, it just felt so right. And he might be the most powerful wizard in the world, that didn't stop him from feeling safer in her arms and her presence.

"What is wrong Artemis" Fleur softly asked

Time passed on without him giving any acknowledgement of her question. Fleur knew to not press, he had heard her and she knew that he would answer eventually when he felt prepared for it.

Artemis was fighting a battle inside, he reacted that heavily tonight because of the Potters and Dumbledore and if he was to explain it than he had to reveal his past before the dragons to her. Something he hadn't done to anyone yet. But if he was to explain it to someone for the first, it couldn't be to a better person than Fleur.

"I have to tell you something" he softly replied

Fleur didn't move away from but only softly moved her head to let him know that he had her attention.

"It's about my past… My past before Artemis Ladon" he almost whispered to her

Fleur knew as the best how sensitive this subject for him was, not once in the 4 years that she knew him he ever broached the subject himself. She couldn't help but feel something warm spread through her as he was about to trust her with information about his past, something he has never done to anyone. It made her feel special that the person she loved, entrusted her with such important information about himself.

In reply she just started softly caressing his chest in a comforting way.

"I was born a twin on 31 of July 1980." He paused shortly, gathering his thoughts on how to continue "It was a year later on Halloween 1981 that we were attacked.. My parents were gone for the evening and they had left me and my twin at home with a babysitter. A dark wizard marched into our home and killed the babysitter. He walked into our nursery with the intend of killing us in her crib" He felt Fleur gasp and applying a little more pressure on him, as if to send him a message that he survived and he was here.. Encased safely in her arms.

He licked his lips and cleared his throat "Nobody knows what happened, but for some reason the dark wizard was killed when he attempted to murder usMy twin brother was exclaimed as the reason the dark wizard was perished… He was named the Boy-Who-Lived"

He heard Fleur gasp loudly this time and he just stared up to the stars sadly; his voice heavy with emotion as he continued softly "Yes… Gerard Potter is my twin-brother.. The Boy-Who-Lived alongside the Boy-Who-Was-Forgotten.. As I liked to call myself… You probably never heard me being mentioned, as I was quickly overshadowed by my brother…. Even by my parents… Throughout my years I had to witness…. As my parents slowly forgot about me… It started small you know.. Forgetting me in public due to all the hype around my brother or forgetting to feed my on the odd nights here and there.. Until they finally forgot my birthday when I was ten"

He could feel tears welling up on the inside of his eyes, threatening to start their course powered by gravity on his face. Yet he mustered through and continued his story

"That was the day.. 31 July 1990 that Harry Potter had enough and decided to run away.. I left a small note for the house elves who had taken care of me and started my journey.. I was pulled by a then unknown force into a cave where I met a certain gold eyed and blue coloured dragon… And here I am Fleur…. Mon flower.. Here stands Harry Potter, now known as Artemis Ladon"

He turned around slowly in her arms until he faced her, where he saw that her face was tear streaked. In his own emotion he didn't feel the wetting of his shirt at the place her head was lying on.. Her teary eyes met his own teary eyes and they just stood there watching each other.. Trying to get a hold onto their emotions…

After a while and many more tears, Fleur spoke up softly "I'm so sorry Arti"

It wasn't the sorry, but the fact that she still used his name, that comforted him the most. He encircled his arms around her, and nuzzled his face into her neck, feeling the blond locks of her softly on the top of his head and taking in her vanilla scent deeply "Thank you Fleur.. For calling me Artemis and not Harry"

He felt her raising her right hand to softly stroke the back of his head while softly saying to him in his ear "You will always be Artemis to me.. The young man I love with all my heart."

She was so stuck in her emotion that she didn't even process saying that last part. Veela's are creatures of emotions and can get carried away in their emotions. That can either be in passion, anger or in comforting their loved ones.

But Artemis did hear and process it. His eyes widened in shock! Could it be!? Did she say that! Does she love him? His heart filled with hope, that his feelings were reciprocated. That she too viewed him as more than a sibling..

He lifted his head slowly and stared deep in her blue eyes, that were still teary from emotions.

"What did you just say?" he asked her softly, eyes filled with hope.

She just looked at him slightly confused "What do you mean?"

"You said 'You will always be Artemis to me, The young man I love with all my heart'" and she softly nodded at him, she did recall saying something like that to him.

It took one second when finally the galleon dropped on her, her eyes widened and her face took a look of shock. 'OH NO!' she inwardly exclaimed 'I just told him I loved him!'

In her mind there were 2 things she could do; turn back and tell him that she loves him as a brother, or be honest and tell him she loves him more than that. As she was inwardly debating, she looked carefully in his eyes. Those golden eyes that she always easily drowned in when they looked at each other. Those eyes draw you in, captivate your whole attention. Fleur began searching the eyes for emotion, where before there was sadness and emotions, his eyes were now filled with something different. That something different was hope. Hope of a confirmation and she knew what to do.

She slowly nodded her head "I did say that" and she saw the hope in his eyes intensify, the hope in his eyes became so huge that his face just had to follow and thus took on a hopeful expression

"I have loved you for a very long time now Artemis" she softly said. Her heart was beginning to pound harder and harder as the moment of her reveal drew closer. "I love you more than just a sibling Artemis. I have wanted to be more than just your sister for a very long time Artemis" and she shut her eyes closed. Afraid to look into those golden eyes and to see rejection in them. That she read him wrong, that he was hopeful to hear her declare a sisterly love for him and not a declaration of more.

It was silent for a few moments.. Those moments having the feel of being the longest ever in Fleur Delacours life..

Then she heard it softly "I love you too Fleur" and immediately after that she felt something soft being pressed on her lips. Something that even though she never felt before on her lips, she immediately identified as other lips. Her heart soared as the conclusion reached her!

Artemis was kissing her! The short moment she didn't react to the kiss ended as she wholeheartedly started to press back onto his lips. She felt him softly caressing her lips with his own, changing this long peck into a real kiss. The kiss was soft and lovingly, both trying to confer their feelings to each other through the it.

They broke the kiss after a while and they stared into each other's eyes again. Fleur saw him staring in her eyes with the same loving gaze he always had reserved for her. She realised she has misinterpreted his gaze for a very long time now. His loving gaze she had always interpreted as gaze transmitting sibling love, was in fact more than just that; it was a lovers gaze.

She had seen that the gaze he had for Gabrielle was different, but she always thought that that was because of their age difference. Older siblings just lovingly looked at each other different than older siblings at younger siblings. How naive of her…

They held their gaze for a little while longer before Fleur lowered her head and this time she nuzzled into the crook of his neck. She took in his intoxicating smell of incense while basking in his arms, feeling loved and happy. All fears of rejections gone when she felt his hand sneak up and starting to play with her long blond hair

They stayed in embrace for a while before Fleur became sleepy and she yawned. Sleep was slowly taking her over and who could blame her. Many would become sleepy when held in a comfortable embrace late at night.

Artemis felt her yawning and chuckled, he began pulling out of the embrace and Fleur began moaning in protest as she felt her comfortable pillow moving away, drawing even more chuckles from him.

"Come my flower" he softly said to her as he began leading her inside. Seeing that Fleur had hard trouble walking, he softly picked her up and she immediately snuggled in closer into his embrace. He softly lowered her onto his bed and removed her shoes. He quickly slipped out of his shoes and laid down beside her on the bed.

Looking at her fondly he saw she was already fast asleep, the third task and emotional night finally catching up to her. He softly pulled her closer and with her head resting on his shoulder and his arm around her protectively, Morpheus claimed him too.

Just like the beautiful witch beside him; His beautiful witch.

A/N: Oh yeah, almost half of the chapter being pure fluff between Fleur and Artemis! Just like it should be. I hope I haven't introduced their relationship to soon for your liking, but it made sense that after such a hard night for Artemis; secrets can be revealed by accident and from the one thing another thing can happen.