Sun Bathing

12th of July, 1995.

Kato sighed. It was nice to leave Britain behind for a while. The mess with Tonks and his reaction to her still weighed heavily on him. He wished that had turned out better. She reminded him of Rhavaniel and maybe that was the problem. She was a little too much like Rhavaniel and no one would ever be able to replace her. He sighed again. He had let Fleur know he was coming and he figured she would find him as long as he didn't drift too far away from the rendezvous point.

The very air was different.

Kato looked around. He was standing outside the French branch of Gringotts. It was a beautiful marble and golden building led by a clan ally of the Alfknif clan. The French main magical shopping district was open and light. He could even see the Eiffel Tower in the distance. Compared to Diagon Alley's cramped shops this was amazing. Though Diagon Alley fitted London better.

"Kato!"

Kato chuckled as Gabrielle threw herself at him. He spun her around. "Hey little star," he said. "How has your summer been so far?"

Gabrielle giggled. "It has been great," she said. "Mama and Papa took us to the theatre and we watched the ballet. It was so beautiful. Will you learn ballet with me?"

Kato chuckled. "I… I guess I will," he said. "If they let me. Are you attending summer classes?"

Fleur nodded. "She is," she said. "Mama can tell you what the rules are. At the very least you could probably go along and watch. Mama might like that, but we should ask her first." She looked down at her sister.

Gabrielle pouted but she nodded. Then she squealed as Kato lifted her up and placed her on his shoulders. He made her feather-light so his back wouldn't start hurting. Gabrielle bounced as she looked around. It was fun being so much taller than everyone else.

"So have you thought about what you want to do now?" Kato asked Fleur.

"Oui," Fleur said.

"That's good," Kato said.

"Kato!"

"Oui, little star?" Kato answered.

"How long will you stay with us?" Gabrielle asked.

"Until the twenty-fifth of August at least," Kato said.

"How many days is that?" Gabrielle asked.

"Forty-three," Fleur answered.

"That's a lot," Gabrielle said. Kato let her back down on the ground. She walked up to Fleur and grabbed her arm.

"Let's go home," Fleur said. She took Kato's hand and disapparated.

They landed next to a beautiful villa overlooking the ocean. Kato looked around and smiled. "You have a lovely home," he said. The salt air and the summer breeze were calming.

Fleur smiled. She tugged at his hand and the three of them headed inside. "Mama! We're home," she called.

Apolline came walking through a doorway. "Hello Kato dear," she said as she walked up to him and greeted him properly.

"Hello, Madame. You have a fabulous home here. I love the ocean view and it is so light and airy," Kato said.

"Merci, Kato you charmer," Apolline said. "Your room is down that hallway. It is the third door to the left. Make yourself at home and don't be a prude. We want you to feel comfortable."

Kato chuckled. "Will do Apolline," he said. He headed down to the bedroom and unpacked his things. He grabbed a light thin shirt and a pair of shorts and changed into those. There was a knock on his door. "Yeah."

Fleur walked in. "How have you been doing?" she asked.

Kato sighed. He told her about Dora and what had happened when he was with her. "She is a nice girl and I like her, but the way I acted doesn't bode well. I'm also fairly certain she wants something more permanent which I can't give her right now," he said.

"Have you told her this?" Fleur asked.

"Yes," Kato answered.

"Then I think the rest is up to her," Fleur said.

"I guess so," Kato said. "I told her I would send her a letter later this summer and it is up to her if she wants to respond. If she doesn't I'll just leave her alone."

Fleur nodded. "Sounds good to me," she said. She walked up behind him and grabbed his hair. She pulled his hair up in a ponytail. "For now just have a good time," she said.

"Yes ma'am!" Kato said. He smirked as she slapped him and they headed out of his bedroom. Gabrielle was sitting out on the terrace cutting strawberries in pieces for a fruit salad.

"Gabrielle says she wants you to go with her for ballet," Apolline said.

"She does, yes," Kato said.

"Would you mind doing so? I find myself a little cramped on time, but I did promise her she could go," Apolline said.

"I can take her," Kato said. He looked at Fleur.

"I would have done it, but several of the classes are at the same time as meetings I will have for work this summer," Fleur said.

"Then I'll just take her. I don't mind at all," Kato said.

"Yes!" Gabrielle exclaimed.

"Careful dear, you are holding a knife," Apolline said.

"Sorry Mama," Gabrielle said. She went back to cutting her strawberries.

"The first class is on Monday," Apolline said. "I will let them know you will bring Gabrielle. Thank you for helping out Kato dear." She smiled at him.

"No, thank you," Kato said. "You have given me the opportunity to relax and just have a good time. I don't mind helping out at all." He sat down by the table and watched as Gabrielle eyed the oranges. "Do you want me to peel them?" he asked.

"Yes, please," Gabrielle said.

Kato grabbed an orange and started peeling it.

"Why don't you use magic?" Gabrielle asked.

"Because I don't need to and I don't feel like it," Kato said. "Just because you can use magic it doesn't mean you have to." He pulled the orange apart and handed Gabrielle the sections.

"How are my favourite girls doing this fine afternoon?" Mr Delacour asked as he stepped out on the terrace. He was dressed in a business suit and had clearly been at work.

"Kato got here!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "See Papa." She pointed. "He is going to take me to ballet class."

"I see," Marceau said. "That is good." He kissed Apolline. "I will go and change into something more comfortable," he said.

"You do that then you can come back here for some fruit salad," Apolline said.

"Oh yummy," Marceau said. "Ice cream with that?" he asked.

"There is vanilla ice cream in the freezer dear," Apolline said with a smile playing on her face.

"I'll get us some bowls and something to drink Mama," Fleur said as she stood up from the table. She disappeared into the kitchen and fetched what they needed.

"Ooo, homemade ice cream," Marceau said happily as he pulled a box out of the freezer.

"Oh, Papa must you," Fleur said. She was smiling as he hugged her.

"Yes my darling rose," Marceau said.

They were laughing as they came back outside. Fleur placed bowls in front of everyone and Apolline took the cutting boards and knives away while Kato gathered up the bits and pieces of the fruits that they hadn't used.

"There is a compost over by the two trees out there if you want to take care of that," Marceau said.

"Sure?" Kato said. He headed out over the edge of the beach until he reached the trees and he dropped the bits in before heading back. Before sitting down by the table he headed inside to wash up. When he finally sat down there was ice cream and fruit in his bowl.

"Papa will just eat it all otherwise," Fleur said.

"Would not," Marceau denied. He tried to look stern but couldn't keep the mischievous smirk off his face.

Kato laughed. It was nice to spend some time with a loving family. He smiled at their jabs and jokes. It reminded him of a calm day in Lakeview.

After they had eaten the fruit salad Gabrielle pulled Kato with her out on their private beach. In minutes she had him helping her with a huge sandcastle. Fleur giggled as she watched them.

"He is really patient," Apolline said.

"I think he doesn't mind it since he never got the chance," Fleur said. "He can regain some childhood by playing with Gabrielle."

Marceau nodded slowly. "Well, we should go down and help them right," he said.

"I don't think they want your help, Papa," Fleur said.

"Oh, nonsense," Marceau said. He started running once he had gone down the terrace steps. Then he threw himself at the sandcastle. He was caught in the wind and flew straight into the ocean. Gabrielle laughed as he came back up and spluttered. "That's right," she said. "Bad Papa tried to ruin our castle."

"I guess we might need wards," Kato said.

Gabrielle nodded. "Tough wards that will keep Papa out," she said.

Kato chuckled. He drew up runes in the sand and charged them. He didn't do anything overly serious, but they would keep the castle standing a bit longer than normal.

Fleur sat down next to him and she cast a spell at him and Gabrielle. "To keep the worst of the sun off you," she explained.

Kato and Gabriele thanked her before going back to building their sandcastle.

Marceau got out of the water and walked back to his wife. Apolline smiled at him. "That didn't go all that well, now did it dear?" she said.

"I think it went fine," Marceau said happily. "Kato is quick."

Apolline laughed. She bent down and kissed him. "Oh, love," she said.

…

Fleur and Kato were lying on the beach looking up at the sky. Gabrielle had gone to bed. Stars were blinking down on them.

"So what do you think?" Fleur said. "Horrible isn't it." She was smiling.

"Yeah, just awful. I have never been with such a horribly relaxed and fun-loving family before," Kato said. "It reminds me of home. Spending time with the Weasleys has always been nice, but there is an underlying feeling of stress or something similar going on there." He sighed. "This is nice, you know. I'm really glad you invited me over," he said.

"I'm glad you came," Fleur said.

A shooting star crossed the sky.

16th of July, 1995.

Waves rolled in from the Atlantic Ocean. Despite the early hour, it was quite warm already. Kato was running along the beach with his familiar Kali next to him.

Apolline smiled as she watched him from the kitchen window as she made breakfast.

"What has you smiling so brightly?" Marceau asked as he entered the kitchen.

"Kato was awake already when I got up. He had coffee ready for me. He will make someone a very happy man or woman someday," Apolline said.

"If that is what he wants," Marceau said.

Apolline hummed in agreement. She had spoken with Fleur and it was quite clear that Kato did want someone to spend his life with even if he wasn't ready for anyone right now. He was a broken man, but he didn't show it much. She hoped they could help him heal if only just a little. She didn't mind a bonus son, and her daughters certainly didn't mind. Fleur cared for him as a brother already and Gabrielle adored him. She had seen him with both her daughters over the past few days and she could tell how much he cared about them. How much he wanted them to be happy. They wanted him to be happy too.

"Good morning Mama," Fleur said as she hugged her mother.

"Good morning dear. Will you go wake Gabrielle?" Apolline said.

"Oui, Mama," Fleur said. She bid her father good morning and kissed him on the cheek before heading over to her sister's bedroom. "Gabrielle. Gabrielle, time to wake up," she said as she sat down on Gabrielle's bed. See-through purple curtains surrounded her sister's bed and heavy blue curtains kept the sun out. The wind caught the curtains through the open window and let the sun in for just a second.

"Let me sleep," Gabrielle muttered.

"But you are going with Kato to ballet," Fleur said.

Gabrielle threw herself out of bed. "Is the shower free?" she asked.

"I think so," Fleur said.

Gabrielle rushed out of the room and Fleur laughed. She followed at a more sedated pace.

"I take it I'll have to wait a bit," Kato said as he walked up behind Fleur.

"Only a little bit," Fleur said.

"Kato! Come get something to eat while you wait," Apolline called from the kitchen.

Kato chuckled.

"Mama wants to make sure you eat enough," Fleur said.

"I noticed," Kato said.

"Watch it," Fleur said. "Mama will mother you if you let her."

"I don't mind," Harry said. "While Katla was mothering at times, she was not a mother to me. It is kind of nice to have someone who wants to mother me without smothering me."

"If you let mother hear that she will never stop," Fleur said.

"Does that bother you?" Kato asked.

"Not at all, big brother," Fleur said. She laughed and hugged him. "Now go eat something."

Kato rolled his eyes and headed into the kitchen.

…

Gabrielle clung to Kato's hand as they landed on the apparition point. She looked around for the studio where they were headed. She smiled as she saw it. The sign had a beautiful swan taking off from it. Mothers were heading into the studio with their daughters.

"Now remember that they don't know about magic and we can't talk about things like that," Kato told Gabrielle.

"I know Kato," Gabrielle said. She smiled at him. They headed into the studio.

A lovely woman greeted them as they entered. "I'm Madam Jeanette. I will be teaching you ballet for the next few weeks," Jeanette said. "Who are you dear?" She smiled at Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle Delacour," Gabrielle said.

"Ah, Miss Delacour. Then this is Mr Peverell then," Jeanette said as she smiled at Kato. "Parents and such may stay to watch but only if you can stay quiet." She motioned for him to a couple of seats where several women sat together. "Gabrielle, you will go change. There is a locker with your name on it through that door."

Gabrielle headed for the door. Before she entered she looked back at Kato. She waved and he waved back.

Kato sat down by an empty table. He reached into a satchel he had with him and pulled out a notebook and pen. He was considering how to translate certain songs from Nirn both to English and French. Gabrielle came running up to him once she had changed. "Isn't it cute," she said. She spun around so he could see.

"You are very cute Gabrielle," Kato said.

"Can you help me with the shoes? They are tricky to get on," Gabrielle said.

Kato chuckled and lifted her up on the table. He grabbed one of her feet and slipped the soft formfitting shoe on. "There we go," he said.

"That looks good," Jeanette said as she walked by. She smiled at the other girls. "I know the shoes might be a little tricky to put on at first but please practice a few times at home," she said. She walked away as she waited for the girls to get ready.

A girl stumbled as she passed by the table where Kato and Gabrielle sat. He reached out and steadied her. She gave him a grateful smile but didn't get a chance to say anything.

"Oh no, you will not touch my daughter, you perverted man. Why ever you are here I cannot understand."

Most of the women looked at the mother in shock.

"You mean woman," Gabrielle said. "Kato is the best ever. He is my big brother. You are just a bad person being mean to him."

"And why can't a man bring his daughter or sister here," one of the mothers asked. "My husband will accompany Eléne some days. Will you think the same about him?"

"He is the girl's father. There is a difference."

"Yet Kato here is her brother."

"Obviously he isn't. They look nothing alike."

"Oh, excuse me for being an orphan," Kato said softly. He didn't want to cause a scene.

Jeanette sighed. "Enough," she said. "Mr Peverell is Miss Delacour's guardian as far as I am concerned and that is all that matters. If his presence here bothers you then you may take your daughter and leave. Now, I expect you to be quiet during the lesson."

The last girl arrived and ran into the changing room to get changed. Her mother sat down by Kato's table and gave him a friendly smile. Her daughter came running back out with the shoes in her hands. "I can't do it, mama," she said. Her eyes were tearing. She knew they were late already and she didn't want to hold the class up any longer.

"I'm sorry peanut I can't help you," her mother said as she looked down at her newly manicured nails. She wished she hadn't gone overboard now. The rhinestones might have been a little much.

"I can help," Kato offered.

The girl turned around and looked up at him with hope shining in her eyes. She looked back at her mother.

"Go ahead dear," her mother said.

The girl rushed around the table and Kato helped her the same way he had helped Gabrielle before helping her back off the table so she could join the class.

"Thank you," the mother said.

Kato smiled. "No problem," he said.

"You are not French?" she said.

"No I'm British," Kato said. "Though I have lived a good part of my life travelling too."

She nodded. "You don't sound British so that makes sense I guess," she said.

Kato chuckled. He looked over at the class and waved at Gabrielle as she looked over at him.

"She really likes you," the mother next to him said.

"Well, the first time we met I helped her sister rescue her from drowning," Kato said. "She had gotten stuck in seaweed. Fleur and I had known each other for a while by then, but that was the first time I met Gabrielle."

"So you are her knight in shining armour?"

Kato laughed softly. "I guess you could say that," he said.

Gabrielle came running up to him as they took a break. "Did you see? Do you know how to do that?" she asked.

"I could try," Kato said.

"You care a lot for her," the mother next to him said.

"I want her to be happy," Kato said. "I do have the added bonus of not being her parent so I can agree to things that they don't have the energy for."

She laughed softly. "You sound like a blessing," she said.

"Maybe," Kato said with a shrug.

Class finished up and Gabrielle dragged their teacher over to Kato before heading to the showers with the other children.

"She is very excited to dance with you," Jeanette said.

"I have noticed," Kato said.

"I could show you the steps but you need a lot of training to dance ballet," Jeanette said. "You probably don't want to get too involved especially if she doesn't continue."

"How does that work? I know she has classes for the next two weeks…" Kato said.

"Only the girls who are doing well continue. My ballet class is not a class you take just for fun. This trial is of course, but not the real ballet class," Jeanette said.

"So what happens if she qualifies?" Kato asked.

"She keeps taking classes," Jeanette said. "If she wants to become a ballerina then she will have to work hard for it."

"I see," Kato said.

"She could do it for fun too, but then I will send her on to a different ballerina," Jeanette said.

Kato nodded. "Either way I might as well invest some of my time in this," he said.

Jeanette smiled at him. "It is always nice when the family is supportive," she said. "It helps a lot in the long run." She smiled as Gabrielle came running back out and grabbed Kato so they could leave.

…

When Fleur returned home she found Kato and Gabrielle in the living room listening to Swan Lake and practising the moves that Gabrielle had been taught that day. She chuckled. "Aren't the two of you cute," she said.

Kato walked up to her and pulled her with him out on the cleared floor. He switched the music. Gabrielle laughed as they switched from ballet to flamenco.

Fleur had taken plenty of lessons when she was younger. She loved dancing but her partner had stopped and it wasn't as much fun without a designated partner. She might start again if Kato could join her. He was pretty good.

When Apolline and Marceau came back home their daughters and Kato were playing catch in the water.

There was a chicken salad in the fridge and meat was marinating in preparation for the grill. "Could we keep him?" Marceau asked. This was far from the first time Kato had prepared food. He had cooked quite a few times in the past week.

"Our daughters certainly want us to," Apolline said. "Unfortunately he has his own life to live."

Marceau looked pensive for a moment. "Do you think we could go off just you and me for a few weeks?" he asked.

"Gabrielle could spend a week or so with a friend and then Kato and Fleur could look after her," Apolline said.

"Should we ask them?" Marceau asked.

Apolline nodded. "That would be nice," she said. She smiled after her husband as he headed outside to have a talk with the children. She was sure they would say yes. She smirked just a little. They hadn't had alone time for a while. But first, they would celebrate Gabrielle's birthday.

21st of July, 1995.

Apolline, Kato and Winky stood in the kitchen. All of Gabrielle's friends were coming and all her family too. The Delacour Family usually went for one huge birthday party instead of several small ones until their eleventh birthday and then the children could invite just the people they wanted to invite.

That however meant they had a lot of food that needed prepping and many cakes that needed baking. They had decorated their house and the beach the day before. At least all the guests could be outside. They had so many seats set up that it was insane.

"Are you sure we have enough?" Apolline asked.

"How many cousins was it?" Kato asked.

"They have twelve cousins," Apolline answered.

"And how many friends were coming?" Kato asked.

"Fourteen have let us know they are coming," Apolline said.

"And then we count two parents plus eight right? So if we count on forty…" Kato said. "Maybe we should make another batch and one more cake. Winky can you start on the cake?"

"Yes, Master Kato," Winky said.

"You could have started this yesterday," Fleur pointed out as she watched them from the door.

"We are almost done," Kato said.

"What time is it dear?" Apolline asked.

"Eleven thirty or so," Fleur said.

"Then we are doing fine on time," Apolline said.

Fleur rolled her eyes and hummed as she headed outside to make sure the tables were ready. She was so glad they only had a few parties like this left for Gabrielle before she could start choosing who came. Kato came walking outside with several salad bowls floating beside him that he placed out. They had a huge table for the different foods and Marceau had started grilling the meat just a few minutes earlier. Kato was grateful for magic since it meant they could keep the cold food cold and the warm food warm until it was consumed. This party would have been much harder without magic.

"Do you want help?" Fleur asked.

"Could you grab the shrimp and the baked potatoes?" Kato asked. "Then we need to take out the drinks for everyone."

"On it," Fleur said. She had to admit that having Kato and Winky around did mean they weren't as stressed as they had been the previous year and the food would outclass anything that her aunts had ever offered even though they often ordered catering. There was something special about making the food yourselves.

Fleur went from filling up the drinks table to greeting the guests with Gabrielle. Kato and Apolline came walking outside as the guests mingled around.

"You have outdone yourself, my dear Apolline."

"Thank you mother," Apolline said. "I had plenty of help from Kato. He is a friend Fleur made in Britain."

"Oh, just a friend?"

"Yes, mother," Apolline said. "Though he is rather alone in this world and I believe my daughters have adopted him."

Apolline's mother laughed brightly. "Well, that is almost as good as having him as a son-in-law," she said.

Apolline smiled and shook her head. She was quite happy with the current arrangement. "He is completely immune to the allure," she said.

"Is he now?"

Apolline sighed as she noticed the look in her mother's eyes. She shouldn't have said anything. Now her mother would check and Kato didn't need that with everything else going on.

Gabrielle was running around happily with her cousins. She had been born in the middle of a cluster of cousins so there were plenty of children from both sides of the family for her to play with. She grabbed Kato and pulled him into a game with all the children.

Fleur laughed as she watched them.

"Who is he?"

Fleur looked back at her favourite cousin, Claudine. "He is a friend of mine," she answered.

"Oh, a friend or, you know…" Claudine winked at Fleur.

"Just a friend," Fleur said.

"Is he gay?" Claudine asked.

"No, but he lost his fiancé right before we first met so we opted for friendship rather than try something that would probably just have ended badly," Fleur said.

"Ah, well that makes sense," Claudine said. She watched Kato as he played with her little brothers.

Food was served not long after that and people laughed and talked. It hadn't been that long since the last party the Delacours had held but it had been a while since all of Apolline's family had met. After everyone had eaten, Kato helped Winky take the food away before they filled the table with desserts. He made sure that everyone had what they needed before disappearing into his room. There were too many people around. It was taking a lot out of him to stay calm. He took a deep breath.

"You alright?"

"I will be," Kato answered.

"I can help."

Kato chuckled. "Yeah, maybe you can," he said.