Harry and Fleur spent close to an hour in the Room of Requirement doing little more than making out. As Fleur had said already, their clothes stayed on, but that did not mean they could not explore each other over them. Harry had to admit that he was a lucky bastard to have possibly three very willing women give themselves to him, and he was very much looking forward to spending his life with them.
More than once did Fleur ask about how he was thinking about overcoming the veela's crushing stubbornness regarding monogamy, and every time, she was given the same answer.
'Be patient, dear. You'll know soon enough.'
It was aggravating, and it made her want to punch him. But she relented with nothing more than a sigh. Finally, it was time for bed. Fleur had her head tilted upward, her eyes closed in pleasure as Harry continued to feast on her neck when unbeknownst to the pair, the door to the Room of Requirement opened and closed with nary a sound.
"Isn't this a pleasing sight?"
The teasing female voice prompted Fleur to open her eyes and she smirked at the pair of blonde and brunette women standing side by side and staring at them. While Valerie had a small smirk on her face, the blonde who she knew was Daphne was looking at them in fascination. Fleur felt Harry pull away but to her immense satisfaction, he made no move to let her go away. Instead, his hands still cupped her round arse as he tilted his head to look over at them.
"One we are sure to get used to in no time at all," Harry replied with a smile as Valerie came forward and before anyone could react, planted her lips on Fleur's.
Fleur wasted no time and eagerly reciprocated the kiss. She felt Valerie tilt her face upward and she reached forward, holding onto the brunette's arm. All the while, Harry continued to knead are arse over her clothes before he looked over at Daphne who had her eyes widened slightly as she stared at the scene in front of her.
"Come on, Daph," Harry encouraged, and that seemed to shock the Greengrass heiress out of her stupor. She jerked slightly and looked at Harry who gave her an encouraging smile. He was aware that as a pureblood heiress, she had been brought up in a comparatively sheltered manner and thus it was understandable that she was slightly overwhelmed. However, Harry had every intention of making her as comfortable as possible and accustomed to this side of their relationship as well.
Daphne nodded and slowly walked forward. He smiled when she sat on the couch right beside him and he gently kissed her. She slowly melted into the kiss, her nerves disappearing as her mind focused on nothing but the feel of his lips against hers. When she pulled back after Merlin knew how long, she saw, to her surprise, three pairs of eyes smiling back at her.
"I think we deserve one as well, don't you think, Fleur?" Valerie asked with a small smirk as she leaned closer to Daphne. The blonde looked slightly surprised for a moment before her eyes gained a certain gleam to them. Harry smirked when he saw her nod, and with a smile, Valerie planted her lips on hers.
Daphne did not stay idle, and if Valerie had expected a submissive woman who would let her nerves get the best of her, she was sorely mistaken. Daphne gave back as good as she got, and Harry was treated to the sight of a blonde and a brunette furiously kissing each other.
"Isn't this a pleasing sight?" Fleur mimicked Valerie as she dropped featherlight kisses along his jaw, and Harry's hands gently caressed her sides as he nodded.
"Very pleasing," he replied, watching Valerie pull back from the kiss with a slightly flushed face.
"You better make sure you marry these two," she said firmly, looking at him. Harry looked surprised for a moment before grinning.
"That's the plan, isn't it?"
"Mm-hmm, but even if some issue comes up, you better make sure it's taken care of. No way I'm losing out on such interesting experiences," Valerie replied, smirking at the pair of blondes who chuckled.
"Alright, you horny demoness," Fleur said as she pulled Valerie to the side before looking at Daphne. "I believe it's my turn now."
This time, Daphne was not hesitant whatsoever. The veela was overwhelming, but Daphne showed her inner strength and displayed why she was regarded so highly in the house of Slytherin. Fleur was a woman of passion, but Daphne rivaled her in every sense.
"I concur," Fleur said after a few minutes of intense snogging, her face flushed and her lips swollen. The beautiful veela had several marks all over her neck courtesy of Harry who had wasted no time in laying his claim on her, much to the veela's approval.
"Concur what?" Harry asked in slight amusement. Fleur looked at him and smirked.
"That Valerie here is right. You better make sure everything works out."
Harry chuckled.
"Don't worry," he replied as Daphne and Valerie cuddled up on either side of him as Fleur draped herself on his front. He wrapped his arms around the two and looked into Fleur's deep cerulean eyes. "I'm sure everything will be fine."
XXXXX
Harry and Valerie proposed for Daphne and Fleur to stay the night in what was now their room, but the pair declined, no matter how enticing the idea was.
"So… the meeting with Fleur's father is a few weeks away," Valerie began as they lay in their bed sans clothing, their breaths coming out in short gasps after their session of passionate lovemaking. "What about Daphne?"
Harry and Valerie had already discussed what Daphne had told him, and the brunette had admitted that she had no idea about a Greengrass being a Death Eater. However, she agreed with him that Daphne bore no responsibility for the man's misdeeds and that they had no intention of changing their minds when it came to their prospective relationship.
"I'm thinking of doing it soon, tomorrow perhaps," Harry replied absently as he stroked her bare back. "Her mother sent the signed contract some time ago. I promised her I'll tell her everything when it happened."
Valerie hummed.
"You really think this would work with Fleur? With Daphne, I have no doubts. It would be quite similar to what we went through. However, with Fleur, I feel the veela might pose a problem."
Harry sighed. "I'm not a hundred percent certain, but I have this feeling that things would work out perfectly."
"Hopefully they do," Valerie replied before she changed the subject. "Slughorn seems quite impressed with you lately."
Harry chuckled. "Looks like my selection and the fact that I put a good word in with Fleur earned me some nice brownie points with the man."
"He is an ambitious man alright. I hope he comes around soon," Valerie replied. "The sooner we start taking care of those Horcruxes, the better."
Harry nodded absently.
"It would've helped if Voldemort had given one to you like he gave the diary to Lucius. Would've been a huge boon," Harry muttered. Valerie sighed.
"Yeah. It's surprising too. After all, once I was under that ritual's effects, I was nothing more than his blind servant. He could have asked me to kill myself and I would've done it without a second thought. For him to not entrust someone like that with a Horcrux…"
"Lucius never knew the diary was a Horcrux," Harry mused thoughtfully. "At least I don't think so. If he knew what he had, no way he would've given it away so carelessly. I believe he knew it was a dark artifact of some kind and he was keen to get rid of it."
"Voldemort never gave me anything, Harry. You know that," Valerie replied with a small frown. Harry nodded.
"I agree. What about Rudolphus or Rabastan though?" He asked curiously. "They were also Voldemort's most faithful. He could have given a Horcrux to them for safeguarding."
"Or Barty Crouch Junior," Valerie mused. "He was one of the most fanatical. But he's dead now, so there's not much we can do about him anyway."
Harry thought about the person Valerie mentioned. Crouch's father had been on the rise in the previous war, with many believing him to be the obvious choice for the minister's role once Bagnold left office. When none other than his son was ousted for being a Death Eater, his reputation took a large hit. He pulled away from the race and resigned from his post as the head of the DMLE, instead opting to work in the Department for International Magical Cooperation which he now headed.
His son was chucked into Azkaban where he died after a few years. His wife had been sick since her son was convicted, and his death was the final straw. She could not bear the news and passed away soon after, leaving the man the last of the Crouches.
Harry had seen the man at Hogwarts and there was no way anyone could tell that so much tragedy had befallen his family. He was still going strong with his head held high, commanding respect from his countrymen and foreign delegates alike. He had not talked to the man, but he could easily recognize someone who was used to commanding power, and despite his fall from grace, the man was still a powerful figure in Wizarding Britain.
"It's no use thinking about it right now anyway," Valerie muttered as she burrowed herself closer in his embrace. "We need that memory from Slughorn first. The rest will follow soon."
Harry nodded with a small sigh and closed his eyes.
XXXXX
Most of the school was fairly apathetic to his selection. Apart from a small section of students that consisted of those who had wanted to become champions themselves, all were either supportive or unbothered. Students belonging to all three categories were present in all the houses.
As was usual, he ignored them all. Instead, he focused on what was necessary, which meant keeping himself unbothered with all the attention, either positive or negative. He was slightly thankful for the unconcerned attitude that he had kept up for all his years at Hogwarts. At least he was not getting hounded by fanatics for his autograph or a picture.
"Hey Harry, can I take a picture?"
Harry blinked at the younger lad with a large camera. Beside him, Valerie stared before a small giggle escaped her lips which she quickly covered with her hand when Harry looked at her.
"I'm sorry, but I don't do pictures," Harry gave the younger boy a small smile. The boy's smile faltered as Harry walked past him with Valerie right beside him.
"Come on love, you could've taken at least one picture," Valerie teased and slid inside her seat at the Ravenclaw table.
"Exactly, Potter! I mean, come on! It's not as if you're going to be around much longer. Half the former champions have died, if you didn't know," an unwelcome voice reached them and they saw Roger Davies sitting with a few of his pals who guffawed sycophantically. Most of the students sitting at the Ravenclaw table turned to stare at them in the sparsely filled Great Hall. The boy would have continued but he had to stop because barely a second later, the Beauxbatons contingent entered the Great Hall led by none other than Fleur Delacour who quickly spotted Harry and Valerie. The events of the evening prior were still fresh in their minds and they shared a knowing smirk.
Fleur approached Harry and Valerie with the other students from her school when the same unwelcome voice butted in once again.
"Well… hello madamoiselle~" Davies called out in a sing-song manner, trying and failing miserably at being charming. "Would you do me the honor of escorting you around the castle this fine morning?"
Davies looked up and his eyes widened slightly when he saw Fleur not even looking at him. She had instead taken her seat with Valerie a bit further away from where he sat, followed by the entire Beauxbatons contingent.
"A little piece of advice, if you will, Davies," Harry said with a chilling smile. "Try not to aim so high up that you seem like nothing more than a flobberworm to them. Stick to your level… you know… the dirty ditches. I'm sure one of your bootlickers would be eager to bend over for you, or do you prefer to receive? I don't care or judge either way. You do you."
With a condescending pat on the older boy's shoulder, Harry walked toward the ladies. He cast a cleaning charm on the hand he patted Davies' shoulder with and made sure the boy saw it. Not even bothering to see the reactions of the boy or his pals, Harry took his seat beside Valerie which coincidentally happened to be between the two lovely ladies.
All Davies could do was glower at his back with venom and sit down.
XXXXX
"Alright, let's see it then," Valerie said with a smile as she stared at Harry. Currently, they were in the Room of Requirement which had been set up as a spartan room with a cushioned floor and nothing else.
Harry nodded as he held his wand in his hand, and where he had been moments before stood a large Crowned Eagle. The bird of prey had light brown feathers over its head and neck, while its remaining body was covered with dark brown feathers. It had a sharp beak that pointed slightly downward and large claws that looked strong enough to pierce through a human skull.
Valerie stared at his animagus form in fascination.
"You look incredible," she whispered as she squatted, stroking his beak gently. Harry quickly took flight, and Valerie stared at him as he zoomed around the room.
He was a Crowned Eagle, and as per the book they had read, he could easily fly at a hundred miles per hour and yet come to a halt from top speed within six feet. Coupled with the physical advantages, there was no denying that he was a powerful predator.
Valerie was sure he would try to use his animagus form to his advantage during the tournament.
Harry flew around the large room for a few minutes, getting used to the sheer speed and momentum of his halt. The room slowly shifted into a forest, imitating the natural breeze one could easily find in the open, and he relished the feeling of the rushing air as it struck him head-on.
He took his time perfecting his flight the best he could before he attacked the trunks Valerie conjured for him. The feeling of his talons as they pierced through the wood and even crushed the thinner blocks was oddly satisfying.
Finally, Harry landed on the floor and reverted to his original state. Valerie grinned at him.
"So, how does it feel now that you're an animagus as well?"
"Nothing too different," Harry replied as he looked slightly thoughtful. "I do feel kinda predatory though… as if I want to hunt for rats or ferrets."
Valerie could not help but smirk at that.
"Well… we do have a ferret here in the school, but it seems our dear Daphne did a more than satisfactory job with him."
Harry chuckled at the reminder.
"I should do it with her today," Harry mused.
"You sure about that?"
Harry nodded.
"She told me there were no issues and that she was free to do what she wanted. Her mother just wanted to make sure I knew everything before anything happened."
"And we don't care about all of that nonsense," Valerie replied firmly. Harry nodded.
Taking her hands, he looked at her.
"I want what we have with her as well," he said softly. "She deserves nothing less."
"I completely agree," Valerie replied. "Hopefully the link you form with her lets me have one with her as well. I don't know how this magic works but I'm hopeful."
Harry nodded.
"I'll do it tonight after dinner," he said.
"I'll stay the night in my dorm room then," she replied with a small smile. "Have a good time with her, you hear me?"
"You could always stay and—"
"No Harry," she replied with a small shake of her head. "She deserves this moment for herself. It's not as if we won't have any nights to look forward to in the future."
Harry nodded and gently kissed her.
XXXXX
It was after curfew. Harry held Daphne's hand gently in his as he led the blonde up the flight of stairs.
"You're being awfully secretive right now, Harry," she remarked as they ascended, a small smile dancing on her lips as Harry looked behind and grinned.
"And you're being awfully impatient. It's so much unlike you," he replied cheekily. Daphne chuckled.
"Well, can you really blame me after everything that has happened since the party night?" Daphne replied promptly, making him smile.
Everything had indeed started back then. His confession to Daphne, and his proposal that shortly followed. Her reciprocation followed by an admission that she thought in futility that it would have any impact on what he felt for her. They had fun in that classroom back then, although not as much as he and Fleur had in the Room of Requirement a night before.
If everything went according to plan, he hoped he and Daphne would go several steps further than he and Fleur had.
The staircase moved to the corridor he wanted it to, and Harry led Daphne through. They walked forward and having already guessed where they were going, Daphne simply kept quiet as she walked with him, hands clasped.
Harry wasted no time in summoning the room and Daphne was surprised to see that Valerie was absent. She knew Harry spent his nights with the brunette in this room, and the absence of the woman made several thoughts run through her mind. Those thoughts were further exacerbated when she saw the intricately decorated bedroom Harry had summoned.
Her heart rate escalated gradually as the door shut behind them and she gingerly sat on the edge of the bed, looking up at Harry who was standing in front of her with a smirk.
"Well, go on then," he said, gesturing toward his crotch with his eyes. Daphne's eyes widened. She stared at his smirking face for a moment before her eyes trailed down his body to his crotch. A brilliant blush lit up her face as she felt her heartbeat skyrocket. A sense of perverse anticipation coursed through her, sending goosebumps rising across her skin. Her breath came out in short gasps, silent amidst the otherwise raging swirl of emotions in her mind. She felt an odd sort of thrill at the situation she suddenly found herself in, a feeling previously unknown to her wafting over her senses as she slowly raised her hands to grab the buckle of his belt.
"—Daphne?"
Daphne blinked and looked at Harry who was looking at her in concern.
"You okay?" He asked, and Daphne stared at him before she looked at her hands which were raised as if she was trying to grab something. Startled, she looked around. They were still in the corridor in front of a blank stretch of a wall. She flushed slightly when she realized she had been imagining it all.
Shaking her head mutely, she gave him a small smile.
"I'm okay," she replied. Harry looked at her searchingly for a moment before he nodded and released his grip on her hand. Daphne breathed a sigh of relief, trying to control her raging emotions. She could not believe what she had imagined in the short moment they had arrived here in front of the room and she could not help but wonder just where that thought had come from. Harry had always been the perfect gentleman with her. Even when they had been making out in that room after she told him everything, he had been nothing but considerate of her limits. It was thus surprising that she had imagined Harry behaving or treating her like that.
She did her best to ignore the feeling of dampness between her legs and watched as he began walking back and forth in front of the wall. The moment he finished walking, the door to the Room of Requirement materialized in front of them.
Harry turned around and smiled at her as he held his hand forward. With a shaky smile of her own, she placed her hand in his and let him lead her inside. Mentally, she chided herself for acting like this and forced her Occlumency to rein her emotions in. It would not do to act out like a weirdo at a time like this.
Her Occlumency couldn't do shit.
Her eyes widened and her heartbeat escalated once again when she saw what form the room had taken. It looked exactly like the room she had imagined moments ago, down to the design of the bed. Exactly how she had imagined, he led her over to the bed and made her sit down, and Daphne stared at him with wide eyes, expecting him to smirk like that and say the same thing once again. A sense of thrill shot through her at the thought. She grew anticipatory of what she felt was about to come, and all she could do was stare at him.
However, contrary to what she imagined, he took a seat beside her and gently took her hands in his, clasping them on his lap. Daphne looked at him in surprise.
"I want you to listen to what I have to say, and then think about it as much as you want. There is no hurry, and whatever decision you take, I'll respect it," he said. Daphne held his gaze for a few seconds, bringing her mind back to the matter at hand before nodding in understanding. He smiled gently, squeezing her hands in reassurance.
"On one of the Hogsmeade weekends last year, I found a kneazle," Harry started. He told her how he had taken the creature with him to Hog's Head where he ensured it was fed properly before he brought it back with him to this very room. Daphne listened to him as he described the events that followed with rapt attention, nodding when he told her about his decision to make the cat a familiar of his. It was a normal practice, and Daphne wondered for a moment where this cat was. Suddenly, she recalled that Valerie was a cat animagus, and a mild suspicion rose in her mind. She had never seen Harry with a cat, and the form Valerie had shown her yesterday bore a striking resemblance to how Harry had described this kneazle.
"You must've guessed already?" He asked with a small smile when he saw the expression on her face and Daphne nodded.
"You found Valerie," she replied. "She's not some muggleborn friend of yours, is she?"
"When I performed the familiar ritual, something happened. Something I could've never dreamt of in my wildest dreams," he continued.
"I don't think the ritual would have worked," Daphne replied with a frown. "If it was truly Valerie and not a random kneazle, wouldn't magic recognize that it was not an animal? The ritual would've failed."
Harry smiled.
"Well, that did not happen," he replied, earning a curious look from the blonde. He explained how the ritual inadvertently formed a bond between him and Valerie, letting them see each other's lives and making them closer than they were to any other person. Daphne's eyes widened.
"We have no idea why it happened. When I woke up from that memory trip, I saw a young woman beside me instead of a little black kneazle," he continued.
"Valerie," Daphne stated, earning a nod from him.
"That was the least of the surprises that day for me," Harry replied and continued with the entire saga that had unfolded that day. Daphne listened to all of it in silent shock, disbelieving the fact that Valerie Swann was none other than the crazed lunatic follower of the Dark Lord Voldemort. She blanched at that, and Harry immediately took her hand and told her everything that had played a part in Valerie's devolving to that state. What started as fear and shock culminated in abject pity as Daphne realized just how much the woman had suffered.
Harry told her about Dumbledore's role in ensuring Valerie was able to have a safe and happy future. He revealed the bond that existed between the two of them now courtesy of that ritual and how they were married in the eyes of magic, as evident by the change of her name on the family tree in the Black townhouse.
Finally, when Harry was done explaining everything to Daphne, all she could do was stay there, seated on the bed and staring at the floor, trying to assimilate everything into her mind. A few minutes passed in silence during which Daphne stared at their clasped hands on his lap while Harry had his eyes on her thoughtful face.
"The ritual somehow let you two watch each other's memories, reversed every suffering Valerie had undergone, including her aging, and somehow got you and Valerie married? That's some weird shit right there," Daphne couldn't help but remark.
Harry chuckled.
"We didn't expect it, even though we felt that might be the case. Dumbledore theorized as much as he could, but I don't think even he knows what actually happened or how."
Daphne nodded.
A small moment of silence ensued once again that was quashed when Daphne let out a soft snort, prompting Harry to raise a curious eyebrow.
"Nothing," she shook her head with a small smile as she kept her hand over her lips. "It's just that I never expected things would be like this."
Harry chuckled, stroking the back of her hand softly.
"I can imagine how you're feeling right now. It was surreal for me too, but after I saw all of it…"
"I still can't believe you two saw each other's lives. No wonder you share such a close bond. You know each other at such an intimate level," she said, a somewhat wistful tone in her voice.
"I want to have that with you as well," Harry replied immediately. Daphne's head did a sudden whiplash and she stared at him in surprise.
"What?" She asked, her voice a breathless whisper.
"I told you I would love it if you became the lady of one of my houses, Daph. It took me a while to realize, but I love you, and I can't see a future without you by my side. I know it might be sudden, rushed even, but if we are to do this, I can't think of a better way to be with you. Your mother sent the signed contract last night, and I promised that I'll tell you everything when it happened."
Daphne remained silent as Harry continued, "I want to have with you what I have with Val, Daph. And you deserve nothing less than all of me either. I know this might not be how you wanted it to be, but—"
Daphne didn't let him finish. She leaned forward and all but crushed her lips against his, and Harry had his answer. He remained idle for a second before kissing her back. Their lips moved in perfect harmony against each other and both let out elated smiles into the kiss. When they parted, it was with matching grins on their faces.
"You seriously think I'd disagree?" She asked, chuckling before her eyes softened. "I know Valerie told you everything about how I feel about you. How I've been working on myself to one day stand alongside you as an equal. Ever since I realized how I felt about you, I've wanted nothing more than to be with you. When you confessed that night, you have no idea how I felt. That was the most I could've ever asked for. However, I can't believe there is this possibility for something more. Now that there is a way for us to share this bond, I'd be a fool to deny. I want nothing more than to be with you in this form as well, Harry."
Ecstatic, Harry wrapped his arms around her and pulled her flush against him before kissing her once again. Daphne's lips curled into a smile as she returned his kiss, languidly wrapping her arms around his neck and gently caressing his hair. Her breath quickened slightly when she felt him start to stroke her sides before his hands brushed the side of her left breast and as reluctant as she was, she had to pull away.
Smirking at him, Daphne said, "We have to take care of something first, don't we?"
Harry let out a soft groan of disappointment as he nodded and stood up. He held his hand out and Daphne let him pull her to her feet with a loving smile.
"When did you become an animagus, by the way?" She asked as they climbed onto the bed properly, leaning against the headrest and looking at each other.
"Not too long ago. I'd been working on it for some time but doing this ritual was an added motivation to complete it quicker than I had expected," he replied. Daphne nodded and brandished her wand.
"I just have to do the familiar ritual, right?" She asked to make sure. Harry nodded and Daphne stared at the predator that replaced him within the blink of an eye.
"Oh wow, an Eagle," she whispered, gently stroking his plume. Harry nudged her palm affectionately, earning himself a soft smile from the blonde. She made a small cut on her finger and watched as Harry made a cut on himself with one of his talons. Daphne brought her bleeding finger right over his cut and recited the words in a whisper.
"Te in familiarem accipio, comitem et socium vitae, me serviturum et tuendum, adiuvandum me in omnibus periculis opponam. Vinculum nostrum perennet in aeternum."
Emerald and blue glow emanated from the point where they made contact, expanding and slowly rising above them until it hovered above the entire room in a beautiful aurora. Harry remembered this scene vividly, and the only difference in the color was the presence of blue in place of purple. The same blast occurred once again, and he weathered it this time. The same could not be said about Daphne who let out a scream as the blinding swirl of colors exploded throughout the room.
Harry's transformation reversed as he fell unconscious, the unconscious body of Daphne falling over his front. Her head lay still on his chest and one of her hands landed on his face, delivering a soft slap on the unconscious fellow's cheek.
Time stilled as Harry and Daphne dived deep down the memory lanes.
To be continued…
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There are also character artworks for the ladies if you're interested in seeing what they might look like.
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