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A Familiar Bond: Chapter 14
🕑 Added 2023-05-17 17:30:00 +0000 UTCA small smile was affixed on Harry’s face when he entered the party once again. Leaving Daphne to herself so that she could ponder upon the revelations, his eyes looked around for Val. He didn’t have to look for too long as he spotted her still talking with Fleur at the drinks counter. He noted that the old wizards who had previously been sitting there had vacated their seats, and the chairs beside them were empty.
It was also impossible to ignore the looks of interest the pair of witches garnered from the gathered males, a few even daring to be less than subtle. Harry could not blame them. They were two of the most beautiful witches currently in attendance, and evoking such reaction from hormonal males was something understandable. Yet, he could not help but take a degree of sadistic pleasure as he gazed at their jealous stares when he walked over to kiss his lover in front of them.
Fleur stared at the couple with slightly widened eyes as they kissed each other for a few seconds before the man pulled away and looked at her. It had been quite an unexpected discussion she had just partaken in, and it was impossible for her to hold his gaze for a prolonged period in the aftermath of it. She had felt it the first time they had met, and it was much more prominent now – Harry Potter had this aura about him that made her take an interest in him, and now, after the proposal from Valerie, it was impossible for her to not be even more affected by his presence.
His emerald eyes stared mirthfully into her blue ones, and she didn’t need to be a genius to guess what was going on in that mind of his. The man only complimented it by pulling a stool and taking his seat between her and Valerie.
“I assume Val explained everything to you, Fleur?”
Fleur was slightly taken aback by the abrupt and candid question. It seemed Harry Potter was least interested in beating about the bush. She could only manage a silent nod. Harry smiled gently.
“Listen, before you even think about it, let me assuage a few reservations you might have,” said Harry, leaning forward slightly. “If you think that this is some ploy from me to get your guard down so that I could have a slight edge over you in this tournament, then you would be wrong. I have no need to employ underhanded measures. It would be too disrespectful to my skills as well as you if I resorted to something like that.”
Fleur nodded, gesturing for him to continue. Harry smiled.
“I know you don’t know us at all, so it would not be easy to take our words at face value. But believe me when I say that what Val proposed just now is entirely genuine. There are no ulterior motivations,” continued Harry as he absently grabbed a glass of champagne from the passing by house-elf. Taking a sip of it, he grimaced slightly. “Champagne is vile, by the way.”
Despite herself, Fleur chuckled. He had such a way to insert random remarks in between serious statements.
“Your girlfriend did indeed explain things very well, I must say,” said Fleur, her voice as polite as she had been taught. “And it would be a lie if I said that I was not even a little bit interested.”
“I sense a ‘but’ coming.”
Fleur nodded. “There are a few things you must take into consideration.”
“Like what?” asked Harry with an inquisitive look on his face.
“First, this discussion needs to happen with my Papa, not me directly. I do not know how things work in the British pureblood circles, but in France, this is the way things are done.”
“That is why I asked Val to talk to you about it,” Harry smiled. “I never proposed directly, did I?”
Fleur looked surprised for a moment before smiling. “No you didn’t,” she conceded.
“There, no etiquette breached. This was only to gauge your interest, Fleur. Nothing more. It’s not as if we’re going to make anything official without your father’s approval. I would have proceeded further only if you were interested, otherwise I know better than to do something against someone’s wishes,” said Harry with a small smile.
“That’s good,” said Fleur. “Second, you should know that as a Veela, I can only give birth to a female child. As such, any line you wish to continue will remain in jeopardy.”
Harry frowned slightly as he looked at his glass.
“So that’s true then… I had heard about this but I assumed these were only rumors to discredit your species,” replied Harry. Fleur shook her head in response.
“That is one of the very few things those books got right. The Veela magic manipulates the wizard’s seed right during the stage of fertilization, and any possibility of a male child is wiped out. This is the biggest reason why rarely any wizard wants to have a Veela as a wife or a lady of one’s house. Veela are condemned to either be mistresses or indulge with other women to satiate their urges, with very few ever starting a serious relationship or even a family with another wizard.”
“I see,” said Harry with a frown. “Then those lecherous stares Veela are subjected to—”
“Only lust. Nothing else.”
Harry nodded and looked at Val who was staring at the blonde with a small frown.
“I can’t imagine it’s easy to endure this on a daily basis, knowing that there’s such a small chance that someone might want you for something more than satiating one’s lust,” said Valerie with genuine sympathy in her voice. Fleur simply jerked her head stiffly in acknowledgment.
“Well,” Harry cleared his throat and replied, “I can assure you that it doesn’t matter to me whether the child is a male or a female. So you don’t have to worry about it.”
If Fleur was surprised, she didn’t show it. With a nod, she continued, “And third, Veela are territorial creatures, and the thought of sharing one’s mate with multiple partners doesn’t exactly please us.”
“And yet you are here, listening to all this, knowing that if things progress, you’ll have to share me with two other women,” said Harry with a small smile.
“Believe me, there are two sides within me at odds right now,” Fleur replied with a tired smile. “While on one hand the idea appeals to the woman in me, which is why I am still here, the Veela is vehemently against it. I appreciate you asking me, but as long as both sides within me are not in agreement, I cannot give you a definitive answer.”
Frowning, Harry shook his head. “No, I understand. It’s something you cannot help.”
“You are the first wizard who interested me, even though you are a few years younger,” Fleur remarked with a small blush. “And considering what you are proposing, I would be lying if I said I am not interested in exploring this, even though I would have to share you. But the Veela is an equal part of me, and I cannot go against her either.”
Harry sighed. “And there is no way we can convince the Veela inside you to not be repulsed by this idea?”
Fleur shook her head with a small chuckle. “Unless you know of a way to tame the Veela, so to speak?”
Harry’s eyes gained a calculative gleam as he looked at her.
“I see,” he muttered. “Listen, there might be a way to do this. But I would need to discuss this officially with your father before I proceed. Do I have your assent to present an official proposal to him?”
Surprised, Fleur looked at him.
“Papa would never agree to me being with a man who will be involved with multiple ones. He knows the Veela would never approve and I would be trapped.”
“He will, when I explain everything to him,” Harry replied confidently. “Look, I need to try something, but I will not do it without his approval. I am optimistic that it would work, but on the off-chance that it doesn’t, there won’t be any harm since we will not be making things official unless the Veela agrees. What do you say?”
Fleur looked at him with a shrewd gaze before she exchanged a look with Valerie who gave her an encouraging smile.
“He will be here for the tasks, so maybe you two could talk about it after the first?”
“Sounds like a plan,” Harry replied with a winning grin. Fleur could not help but smile back.
XXXXX
Over half an hour had passed since their initial discussion with Fleur had ended, and the blonde had indulged in a few conversations with the couple, who discussed what she could expect out of their relationship should it materialize. To say that Fleur was beyond intrigued was an understatement.
As much as the Veela inside her recoiled at the proposal, the woman inside her who had been attracted to Harry since their first meeting could not help but anticipate any developments. Harry and Valerie were a very welcoming couple, and the woman had told her in no uncertain terms that should she join their relationship as one of the ladies, she would have an equal say in everything, from how things happened with them to the decisions they would take in the future. It was truly a relationship of equity in which no one stood above the other.
The couple also told her that Harry had a total of three lordships, which would require him to have three wives. It was then that Fleur recalled Harry heading over to talk to a beautiful blonde girl after he had left her with Valerie.
“So who is the third woman then?” She asked in interest, now feeling much more open after having such a candid conversation with the couple. “I saw you talking to a blonde girl when you left me with Valerie. I assume she is the one?”
She was surprised when Harry gave her a relaxed smile, and the way his eyes lit up slightly was enough to clue her in to the fact that this man held this woman in a very special regard.
“I didn’t even realize that I felt so strongly for her until someone else made me realize it for myself,” he replied with a loving smile toward Valerie. The brunette squeezed his hand in response and turned to look at Fleur.
“You see, I believe Harry here would have ended up with her if I had not come into his life. You will soon know everything, but for now, just know that I came as a surprise to everyone,” she informed with a chuckle.
Fleur giggled, “You make it sound as if you fell out of thin air and he found you somewhere in the wild.”
“You’re close,” Valerie grinned as Harry chuckled. Fleur was indeed close.
“What’s her name then?”
“Daphne,” Harry replied. “We’ve known each other for a few years now, but we never interacted much. It was always limited to polite nods and greetings, and sometimes having a talk at the end of the year. She was the only other student at Hogwarts I would talk to before Val came into my life, and it always felt very natural whenever I was with her. I was very surprised when Val told me that Daphne had feelings for me, and it was only when she explained it to me that I realized that there was something I felt for her as well. I had forgotten about it after Val and I got together, but those feelings don’t fully go away so easily.”
Fleur nodded with an understanding smile.
“So you told her what you told me?”
Harry nodded. “Just now. I told her as much as I could. I’m hopeful that she will think it through and tell me what she wants. Everything is for her to decide.”
Fleur nodded, and with a teasing grin, added, “Perhaps I could try something out with her as well. I had only one look at her, but I did find her intriguing. As a Veela, I won’t mind trying it out, if you catch my drift.”
Harry and Valerie looked at her with slightly widened eyes before he chuckled.
“You want to seduce Daphne?”
“Veela are bisexual by nature, Harry,” Fleur informed him. “That is how we live together in harmony when we cannot find a man who would have us for life. If this Daphne is to be one of your women, and given how confident you are that you will convince the Veela inside me, it makes sense for me to get to know your ladies intimately as well, don’t you think?” She asked with a small smirk as she looked at Valerie whose eyes gained a certain gleam. The two women blatantly checked each other out as Harry sat there, sipping his champagne while looking the blonde over.
“You know what, Fleur?” he began, “I think we’re going to get on just fine together.”
Fleur chuckled.
XXXXX
Daphne could not go back to the party. She spent Merlin knew how long inside that classroom and decided to head back to her dormitory. The Slytherin Common Room was dark, and no one paid any mind to the returning blonde who walked in the shadows and turned toward her dormitory.
The door opened just as she was about to grab the knob and Daphne looked up at her sister’s face in surprise.
“Daph? What are you doing here so early?” Astoria asked with a small frown before she took one look at her sister’s face and her eyes widened. “What happened to you? You look like shit!”
Daphne sighed and walked inside as her sister closed the door. Tracey had already stood up from her bed and she looked shocked as she stared at her friend’s face.
“What happened?” She whispered, frowning when her friend didn’t answer. “Daph?”
“He knows,” Daphne replied, taking a seat on her bed and looking down at the floor.
“Who? Who knows what?” Tracey asked as she stared at the blonde who didn’t seem willing to take her eyes off the floor.
“Harry knows everything we talked about after I beat Malfoy,” Daphne whispered, and their eyes bugged out.
“H-how though? No one was here apart from the three of us!” Astoria looked shocked. “Wait a minute! Did he do something?” She asked agitatedly. Tracey’s eyes hardened.
“Did that prick do this to you!? I’ll curse his balls off!” She snarled. Astoria was not much behind her either.
“Not before I get my hands on him! I’ll—”
“He told me he liked me as well.”
This time, there was no preventing the resounding silence in the dormitory as the pair stared at the blonde in abject shock.
“W-what?”
“Harry said he liked me as well,” Daphne replied before taking a deep breath. Astoria and Tracey stared wide-eyed at the face of their sister and best friend respectively, and they had never seen her smiling so radiantly. Her eyes brightened, and what they now knew were tears of happiness slithered out of her eyes as Daphne beamed at them.
“I confessed to him for real, and he kissed me,” Daphne whispered, softly touching the lips that Harry had kissed some time ago.
“B-back up a bit, Daph,” Tracey stammered. “Start from the beginning. What exactly happened?”
Daphne smiled at the pair and started to explain how Harry approached her at the party before asking her to follow him for a small talk. She told them how he knew what she did to Malfoy before he started to probe her for her motivations. His method of getting her to confess followed which left them surprised before they beamed when she told them about the kiss. However, they were rendered stupefied when she told them about Harry’s motivations and what role Swann played in all of it.
By the time Daphne finished with her explanation, there was nothing but pin-drop silence in the dormitory. Tracey and Astoria were resembling fishes out of water while Daphne had a beaming smile on her face.
“I don’t know what to say,” Astoria whispered. “However, given how happy you are, should I assume you will agree?”
Daphne nodded. “I can’t explain how overwhelmed I was when he dumped all that on me, that idiot. But now that I’ve calmed myself down and have had the time to process it all, there’s nothing else I’d rather do.”
“But Daph,” Tracey started with a frown. “You’ll have to share him with two other women. Would you seriously be okay with that?”
Daphne’s smile faltered slightly before she beamed. “I’ll manage. I’ve been in love with Harry for so long. I don’t care if I have to share him. As long as I am with him, I’ll be happy.”
“If you’re sure…” Tracey muttered. She didn’t see how a polyamorous relationship would work, but if those involved were on the same page, who was she to say otherwise?
“You know what this means though, don’t you?” Astoria’s serious voice prompted Daphne to look at her sister, and she gave her a firm nod.
“I will tell Harry everything. He deserves to know.”
“And if he changes his mind after knowing about it? What will you do then?” Tracey decided to play devil’s advocate once again. She didn’t want to dissuade Daphne, but she couldn’t help but be concerned for her friend either.
“Harry is not like that. He will understand,” Daphne replied. “It’s not as if I have deliberately kept it hidden from him. We never talked properly this year before today and I was going to tell him anyway.”
“I hope it works out as you say, Daph,” Tracey replied with a genuine smile before she came over and hugged her friend. “I’m very happy for you.”
Daphne smiled.
XXXXX
It was the day after Slughorn’s party and the novelty had understandably not worn off yet. Students who had not been invited were often found giving resentful looks to those who had, while a few of those who had were seen strutting around as if they had been awarded an Order of Merlin. Harry had to scoff at the pathetic behavior.
They were once again in the Potions’ classroom preparing a batch of Skele-Gro. It was a vile-tasting potion used to restore bones and the preparation process was not a pleasant one either. Harry and Val had cast a bubblehead charm on themselves to stave off the foul-smelling fumes emitted by the potion, and not for the first time, Harry was grateful that it was not Snape who was teaching this class anymore. Had it been the hook-nosed dungeon bat, he would’ve definitely prohibited them from using the charm and forced them to inhale the smell while brewing, much like the majority of the classroom was doing.
In between his stirs, Harry chanced a look toward the other end of the classroom where the Slytherin students were brewing the potion. The person of his interest was meticulously preparing her batch, giving the world around her no mind.
Daphne had not yet approached him with her answer, but Harry was not worried. The way she sometimes looked at him had given him the answer already. He would wait for her to articulate her thoughts to him personally. It wasn’t as if either of them doubted each other’s feelings anymore after explicitly expressing them. However, Harry would be lying if he said he was not looking forward to her simply hurrying up and telling him anyway.
Val had guessed that as an heiress of a pureblood house, she must have informed her parents about his proposal, and Harry had to agree. Daphne was nothing if not a prim and proper pureblood lady, and there was no way she would be breaking etiquette when it came to this. The betrothal arrangement that he had proposed was considered a matter of utmost seriousness in pureblood circles and any misstep could prove to be a threat to a house’s political standing. Numerous scandals had taken place over the years with houses losing their leverage in negotiations simply because someone had acted out. Mostly, it was warranted, but there had been instances wherein such an occurrence was unfortunate. Andromeda’s case was the first to come to mind.
Indeed, Daphne would follow the word of her father and how he would proceed before approaching him.
However, that didn’t stop either him or her from giving each other meaningful glances, uncaring of whether the other might be watching. It was not as if they had anything to hide from one another anyway.
“And here is another pair of resident prodigies,” Slughorn beamed as he stared into their cauldron. “I must admit, in all my years of teaching Potions at this school, very few could compare.”
“Thanks, Professor,” Harry chuckled as he continued to stir. “I must say, you sure know how to throw a party. It’s unfortunate that I could not meet everyone you probably wanted to introduce me to.”
“It’s alright,” Slughorn chuckled, waving his hand dismissively. “There will be many more parties to come, and now that you’re the champion, you’ll have sufficient opportunities to make acquaintance of some of the most prominent people in Wizarding Britain, and probably overseas as well.”
“I’m sure,” Harry chuckled. “Which reminds me, Fleur was also very impressed with the party. We talked a bit, and she had nothing but words of praise for you.”
“Indeed?” Slughorn chuckled, clapping him on the back. “I’ll be sure to extend my sincere gratitude to Miss Delacour for her kind words. You seem to have made a quick acquaintance of the lovely lady.”
“Well, the tournament is there for furthering international relations, Professor. I’m simply doing my part as the Hogwarts champion,” he smirked.
“Oho! Too true,” Slughorn chuckled and walked away to another table, leaving him and Val by themselves.
“He seems to be much more open now,” Valerie remarked, looking over at the man who was now walking to the front of the classroom.
Harry nodded, whispering so that only she could hear, “I’ve been trying to develop the image of Harry Potter in his mind. It’s good that he regards me highly for being Lily Potter’s son, but that would not be enough. Establishing myself in his circle would require a unique image as well. What better than for the son of Lily Potter to also be someone influential who Slughorn could collect?”
Valerie hummed softly, before replying in a quiet voice, “Think we should do something to entice him further? Organize some favorable arrangement, perhaps?”
“Too soon, I think. It’s not as if we have to rush things. Better take it slow and let things develop organically.”
“Organically?” Valerie chuckled mirthfully. “Merlin, there’s a lot of that happening lately. You planning on talking to Daphne today?”
Harry looked over at the blonde who was busy over her cauldron and replied, “Assuming she sent a letter this morning, she should get a reply soon. In any case, I’ll let her approach me.”
“Being a bit too patient, aren’t you?” She teased, softly stroking his thigh under the desk. “You weren’t so patient last night. Kissing her, and then taking me with so much enthusiasm. Thrice you brought me to climax last night, and thrice you emptied inside me. Making do for all three with me until you get them, hmm?”
Harry let her hand play with his manhood under the table as he tried to prepare his potion as nonchalantly as he could. What could he say to that? It wasn’t as if what she said was in any way a lie. He had indeed been a bit too enthusiastic the previous night. Daphne had not returned, and once the party ended, they bid a farewell to Fleur before rushing over to the Room of Requirement where a different kind of party ensued. By the time he was done with her, Val had been unable to even move. Slumped over his naked frame, her sweaty body had rolled over until she had cuddled up to him and fallen asleep.
“You really are a lecherous little bastard, aren’t you?” She leaned over and whispered in his ear as her fingers fondled his balls. “One whiff and you started chasing them. So much like a lecher. Never knew you had such disposition.”
Harry glanced at her to find her smirking. Her smirk quickly turned to a look of wide-eyed surprise as she felt both her holes being filled up. Glancing down, she saw him put his wand away.
“I never denied that I was a lecher,” he whispered in her ear, knowing that anyone could see what her hand was doing under the desk if one paid close enough attention. “However, here you are, actively encouraging your husband to welcome multiple women into our marriage bed and even marry them in the future. The lordships are merely excuses, aren’t they? In truth, you want to play with those beautiful women just as much, and probably even more than I do.”
“Looks like there is indeed a brain up there,” Valerie smirked up at him with hooded eyes as the appendages he had conjured to stimulate her picked up their speed and rhythm. “And it seems I’m not alone either. Our dear Frenchie is as much a deviant.”
“That she is,” Harry chuckled before grunting softly. Valerie smirked up at him, ignoring how a pleasant pressure started to build up in her stomach.
“Better clean it up before you walk out. Don’t want to show a wet patch to everyone, do you?”
“Lucky for you that there’s no such need for you to clean it up,” he replied as he flicked his wand to get rid of the mess in his pants. His potion was also complete and he corked it before putting the vial inside the compartment at the side of the desk where it vanished and appeared on Slughorn’s table. The old man looked over and smiled at him. Harry nodded.
Glancing over at Daphne, he saw her catch his eyes before blinking once and jerking her head to the side. Nodding, he looked over at Val, who had already seen the exchange and chuckled.
“I guess it’s better if you go alone this time. I’ll see you at dinner,” she whispered before clutching the desk firmly as her orgasm washed over her. Harry nodded with a wink and walked out of the desk. However, he stopped a few steps away and turned around. Her mind clouded with orgasmic haze, Valerie looked at him with a raised eyebrow. In response, Harry smirked and flicked his wand discreetly once again. Valerie’s eyes widened.
“Had to make it a bit interesting,” he replied with a chuckle, patting the pocket of his robe. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep it safe. And don’t try to do anything about it. I’ll know if you do.”
“You really are a lecherous bastard,” she snarked, feeling her juices slither down her legs now that there was no fabric stopping their descent.
“And you love me all the same,” he teased, and turned around to walk away, leaving an exasperated brunette staring at his retreating figure as the class dispersed. Her eyes met Daphne’s when she looked over, and she gave the blonde a genuine smile and a nod. Daphne nodded in understanding and returned her smile before walking out of the classroom. Valerie sighed as she slung her bag over her shoulder and gingerly walked out of the classroom, aware of the glistening tracks on her long legs which anyone could see if one looked closely. It seemed she had to keep it that way. Even though it was risky and potentially humiliating, Valerie couldn’t help but feel a modicum of thrill at being so risqué.
‘That magnificent lecher,’ she thought with a fond smile as she walked ahead.
XXXXX
A little bit away from the Potions classroom was a vacant corridor separated from the main castle passageways, and Daphne walked over with long, purposeful steps, a letter clutched firmly in her hand inside her school robe.
First thing in the morning, she had called their house elf and sent a letter to her mother, telling her everything. She had not expected such a quick reply, and had been surprised when Sally popped in front of her and delivered the letter a few minutes before their Potions class started. Daphne had wasted no time and quickly read through it, suppressing the roaring emotions with her Occlumency before making her way to the class.
She saw him leaning with his back against the door to the same classroom they had been in the previous night, and the memory of her first kiss inadvertently came to the forefront of her mind. Smiling at her, he opened the door and walked in, holding it for her. Daphne entered and Harry promptly shut the door behind them before flicking his wand to apply the requisite charms to ensure their privacy. Although no one ventured here, it was always better to be prepared.
“Hey,” he smiled at her. Daphne wordlessly held out an unsealed envelope in response. Harry took the letter out and started to read.
Once he was done, he folded the letter back and handed it back to Daphne who took it and put it away. He walked up to her and took her hand gently, leading her to the desk. Taking a seat himself, he turned to look at Daphne.
“What is this something your mother wants me to know before making a decision? Not that it would matter,” he smiled. Daphne sighed and intertwined their hands, looking at them before dragging her eyes up to his face.
“My father was killed in the last war,” she began in a soft voice, earning a frown from Harry.
“I’m sorry—”
“Don’t be,” Daphne cut him off abruptly, and Harry looked at her in surprise. The blonde sighed.
“He was a Death Eater, although not one of the Inner Circle.”
Harry’s eyes widened as he stared at her. “Oh.”
Daphne nodded. “Your parents killed him when he was on a raid.”
Harry breathed deeply as realization dawned on him. Meanwhile, Daphne kept looking at him.
“I see,” he muttered, staring straight ahead. “I know you don’t share the Death Eaters’ beliefs, and I’m willing to guess neither does your mother. Am I right?”
Daphne nodded, not saying anything. Harry nodded.
“I can understand why your mother would want me to know this before I make a decision about us,” Harry replied, turning to look at her again. Daphne stared up at him. With a loving smile, Harry leaned down and planted his lips on hers.
This time, Daphne did not stay idle, and with as much enthusiasm as she could muster, she kissed him back, pouring every bit of the love she had in her heart for him into the kiss. A soft moan escaped her when his tongue invaded her mouth, and it did not take long for them to lose themselves in the haze of alluring warmth that pervaded the room. Her hands were clutching the front of his shirt in a fist while his hands remained at her sides, stroking her over the thin fabric of her shirt.
“Does that answer your mother’s question?” Harry asked once he pulled away, looking down at her flushed cheeks and her puffed lips. Daphne’s response was to kiss him again.
Any further discussion could wait.
XXXXX
To be continued…
