Harry cracked eggs into the pan, watching them sizzle. The sound filled his kitchen as he grabbed the handle and spread the eggs all over.
Morning sunlight streamed through the windows, warming the tiles beneath his bare feet. He'd thrown on loose pajama bottoms after waking, but hadn't bothered with a shirt yet. The French summer heat made extra layers unnecessary.
He heard movement upstairs and smiled. Gabrielle would be down soon, probably complaining about being hungry. The woman had an appetite that never ceased to amaze him.
He placed the pan on the heat and grabbed a spatula, flipping the eggs over. Footsteps on the stairs made him glance over his shoulder, and his hand stilled on the spatula for a moment.
Gabrielle descended wearing nothing but his dark green t-shirt. The fabric hung loose on her frame, reaching just past her hips to barely cover the curve of her ass. Her legs looked impossibly long beneath it, smooth and slightly tanned and completely bare. She'd left her hair loose, the blonde waves tumbling over her shoulders in disarray that screamed she'd been recently fucked. Hard.
"Morning," she said brightly, padding into the kitchen. She turned to a cabinet and stretched her arms overhead in an exaggerated yawn, and the shirt rode up enough to flash him a glimpse of her bare cheeks.
Harry's mouth went dry. There was something primal about seeing a woman in his clothes. Something possessive and satisfied that stirred low in his gut. She looked thoroughly claimed, marked by their night together in a way that went beyond the faint love bites he knew dotted her neck and collarbone.
"Morning yourself." He managed to keep his voice steady despite the heat pooling in his groin. "Sleep well?"
"Mmm, wonderfully." Gabrielle stepped closer to the counter, reaching up to grab mugs from the cabinet. The movement made his shirt ride higher, exposing more of her ass and the tantalizing shadow between her thighs. She wasn't wearing anything underneath. "But someone wore me out rather thoroughly last night."
"Can't imagine who that might have been."
She laughed, setting the mugs down and turning to face him. The neckline of his shirt hung loose, giving him an excellent view of her cleavage. Her nipples pressed against the thin fabric, peaked and visible. "You're staring."
"You're not exactly making it easy not to." Harry flipped the eggs with more attention than strictly necessary. "That's my shirt."
"Is it? I hadn't noticed." Her voice dripped with false innocence as she moved past him to the fridge, intentionally brushing against his back. The contact was brief but electric. "I needed something to wear and yours was closest."
"I very clearly remember that shirt being neatly folded inside my cupboard." He glanced at her as she bent to retrieve orange juice from the lower shelf. The shirt rode up completely, giving him an unobstructed view of her bare ass. Round and perfect and begging to be touched. Her pussy was puffed and glistening with their combined juices from the previous night. His cock twitched with interest. "You're being a tease."
"Am I?" Gabrielle straightened and turned, juice bottle in hand. Her eyes sparkled with mischief. "Maybe you just have a dirty mind."
"Definitely that too."
She giggled as she poured juice into both mugs, moving with slow sensuality. Every gesture was calculated to draw his attention. Harry couldn't decide if he was annoyed or impressed by her boldness. Probably both.
"You know," he said conversationally, flipping the eggs, "most people wear pants with their shirts."
"I'm not most people." Gabrielle set the juice bottle aside and hopped onto the counter, crossing her legs. The movement flashed him another glimpse of everything beneath that shirt. "Besides, I like the way you're looking at me right now."
"Yeah? How's that?"
"Like you want to bend me over this counter and fuck me senseless."
Harry nearly dropped the spatula. Her bluntness shouldn't surprise him anymore, but it still caught him off guard sometimes. "Merlin, Gabrielle."
"What? It's true, isn't it?" She uncrossed her legs slowly, sensually, parting them just enough to give him another glimpse of her lower lips. "I can see it in your eyes. The way they keep staring at me. The way your jaw tightens when I move a certain way. You want me."
"Never said I didn't." He abandoned the stove and moved toward her, coming to stand between her spread knees. His hands settled on her bare thighs, feeling the warmth of her skin. "You do look incredible in my clothes."
"Just in your clothes?" Her arms looped around his neck, pulling him closer.
"In general." His thumbs stroked slow circles on her inner thighs. "Out of them too. Especially out of them."
Gabrielle smiled and leaned in to kiss him. It started soft but quickly deepened, her tongue sliding against his with ease. Harry's hands slid higher, pushing the shirt up to grip her hips properly.
She pulled back with a breathless laugh. "The eggs are going to burn."
"Don't care."
"Liar. You made them special for me." She pushed gently at his chest. "Go finish cooking. I promise I'll still be here when you're done."
Harry stepped back with a frustrated groan. "You're evil."
"You love it." She hopped off the counter and moved past him again, making sure to brush her ass against his growing erection. The contact made him inhale sharply. "Though I might need some help reaching the plates. They're on the top shelf."
He knew exactly what game she was playing now. The plates were always on the top shelf. She'd have to stretch to reach them, and that shirt would ride up and give him another eyeful of her ass.
"Fine." He moved behind her as she stretched up on her toes. The shirt lifted exactly as expected, exposing smooth skin and the curve of her cheeks. His hand moved on instinct, connecting with her ass in a sharp smack that echoed through the kitchen.
Gabrielle gasped, dropping back to flat feet. "Harry!"
"You were asking for it." He did it again, watching the pale skin pink under his palm. The sound was deeply satisfying. "Prancing around in just my shirt, flashing me every chance you get. What did you expect?"
"Maybe I wanted exactly this." She pressed back against him, grinding her ass against the bulge in his pajamas. Her voice dropped to a purr. "Maybe I like it when you get a little rough."
His hand came down again, harder this time. She moaned, the sound shooting straight to his cock. "Careful what you wish for."
"Or what? You'll spank me again?" Gabrielle looked at him over her shoulder, her blue eyes dark with arousal. "Promises, promises."
Harry grabbed the plates himself and stepped away before he could do something stupid like fuck her right there against the counter. He could wait. Probably.
They ate standing up, leaning against opposite counters. The eggs were perfectly cooked despite the distraction, seasoned with herbs he'd grown in the small garden out back. Gabrielle made appreciative noises between bites that sounded far too similar to the ones she'd made last night.
"So," she said after a while, wiping her mouth with a napkin. "We should probably talk about last night."
"The part where we had sex or the part where your sister caught us?"
"The second one." Gabrielle finished her juice and set the mug aside. "Specifically, the part where she was clearly into you."
Harry paused mid-bite. "I still don't think that's what was happening."
"Oh please." Gabrielle rolled her eyes. "I grew up with Fleur. I know exactly what it looks like when she's attracted to someone. And trust me, she was checking you out like you were dessert and she'd been starving."
"Even if that's true, what does it matter?" He finished his eggs and moved to the sink, rinsing his plate. "I'm not interested in complicating things."
"Who said anything about complications?" Gabrielle came up beside him, hip checking him playfully. "You know Fleur and I are both veela, right? We don't get weird about sharing when it comes to casual stuff. It's actually pretty normal in our culture."
Harry turned to stare at her. "Are you seriously suggesting what I think you're suggesting?"
"I'm just saying." She shrugged, the motion making his shirt slip off one shoulder. "Fleur's been single for years. Like, actually years. She's been so focused on establishing her boutique in Paris that she hasn't had time for any kind of relationship. Do you have any idea how cutthroat the fashion industry is there? How much work it takes to build something from nothing in a city where everyone thinks they're the next big thing?"
"I can imagine." Harry leaned against the counter, his arms crossed. "But that's her choice."
"Of course it is. And she's been brilliant at it. The boutique is doing amazingly now. She's made a real name for herself." Gabrielle's expression turned thoughtful. "But that success came at a cost. She hasn't been with anyone in over five years, Harry. Five years. She had one guy she got just a bit interested in, and even that lasted a day. She quickly discovered what an arse he was and told him to fuck off. Since then, she's had no dates, no casual flings, nothing. Just work and more work."
"That must have been difficult."
"You have no idea. Veela need physical intimacy more than most people. It's part of our nature. Going that long without it?" Gabrielle shook her head. "It would be like you going years without using magic. Possible, but deeply uncomfortable."
Harry considered that. He knew veela were different, their needs more intense in certain ways. "So what changed?"
"The business has finally stabilized. She's got a solid team now, regular clients, a reputation that precedes her. The constant pressure is off." Gabrielle moved closer, her hands coming to rest on his chest. "Which means she can finally relax and enjoy life again. Maybe even have some fun for once."
"Fun." Harry caught her hands, stilling their wandering. "You mean sex."
"Among other things. But yes, sex would definitely be part of it." Gabrielle tilted her head, gazing keenly at him. "Why are you so resistant to this idea? It's not like we're in a relationship. We established that from the start. Friends with benefits means exactly that. No commitment, no exclusivity."
"I know what it means." He released her hands and ran one through his hair. "I just don't understand why you're pushing this so hard. Most people wouldn't be thrilled about setting up their casual hookup with their sister."
"I told you, veela don't think about it the same way." Gabrielle's smile turned impish. "Besides, it was fun watching her try so hard not to check you out last night. She kept thinking she was being subtle, but I could read every thought on her face."
"What thoughts?"
"Oh, you know. The usual. Wondering what you look like without the shirt. Imagining those hands on her instead of me. Thinking about how you'd taste." Gabrielle's voice dropped, becoming even more provocative. "Picturing that cock of yours buried deep inside her while she screams your name."
Heat shot through Harry's body. The images Gabrielle painted were vivid and impossible to ignore. Just like the previous night. "You're terrible."
"I'm honest." She pressed against him fully now, her body soft and warm through the thin shirt. "And I'm also very observant. Want to know what else I noticed last night?"
"Do I have a choice?"
"Not really." Gabrielle slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders. "Fleur wasn't just aroused. She was struggling to control herself. Her breathing kept getting faster. Her pupils were dilated. She kept pressing her thighs together like she was trying to ease an ache."
"How could you possibly know all that?"
"Because I'm a veela." Gabrielle rose on her toes, bringing her lips close to his ear. Her breath was hot against his skin. "Even though I'm not as experienced as Fleur, I can still sense these things. It's instinctive. And everything about her last night screamed desperate arousal."
Her teeth caught his earlobe, biting gently. Harry's hands gripped her hips automatically, pulling her closer. "Gabrielle."
"She wanted you." The words were a seductive whisper that sent shivers down his spine. "Wanted to know what you felt like, tasted like. Wanted to experience exactly what I'd been experiencing all evening. Her control was impressive, but I could tell it was taking everything she had not to just join us right there."
"That's not funny."
"Who's laughing?" Gabrielle pulled back enough to meet his eyes. Her expression was absolutely serious despite the heat in her gaze. "I'm telling you the truth. My sister came over to your house last night and left so aroused she probably went straight home to touch herself. And I'd bet anything she was thinking about you while she did it."
The mental image crashed into Harry with the force of a freight train. Fleur, naked in her bed, hands between her thighs while she imagined him. The thought made his cock harden instantly, pressing against Gabrielle's stomach.
She felt it and gave him a knowing smile. "There we go. That's what I thought."
"You're playing with fire."
"Maybe I like the heat." Her hips rolled against him, grinding slowly. "You know what I think? I think Fleur wouldn't take much convincing. She's already interested. She already trusts you. You two have history from the tournament, and she went through so much effort to help you move here. Getting you that house, making sure you could settle properly. That's not something she'd do for just anyone."
"She was being kind."
"She was being interested." Gabrielle's hand slid down between their bodies, palming him through his pajamas. "And now that you're here, so close, looking like this and smelling like sex? It wouldn't take much at all."
Harry's breath hitched as she stroked him. "Why do you care so much about this?"
"Because it would be fun." Her hand squeezed his cock gently. "Because I like you both and I think you'd be good together. And because honestly? The idea of you fucking my sister is really, really hot."
"You're insane."
"Probably." She kissed him hard, all teeth and tongue and raw desire. When she pulled back, they were both breathing heavily. "But you like it. I can feel exactly how much you like it."
She wasn't wrong. His body had responded to every word, every image she'd planted in his mind. The thought of Fleur, sophisticated and confident and desperately aroused, wanting him the way Gabrielle described was intoxicating.
"How would you even know if she was interested?" Harry managed to ask. "Maybe you're reading too much into it."
Gabrielle laughed and pulled away completely. Then, before he could process what she was doing, she pushed him in a chair and turned, sitting sideways in his lap as he leaned back. Her legs draped over his thigh, one arm around his shoulders for balance.
"I'm a veela," she repeated, this time letting her fingers trace idle patterns on his bare chest. Her touch was light, teasing, and pleasantly distracting. "We're attuned to desire, remember? I can read arousal like you can read a book."
"That doesn't mean you're right about Fleur."
"Doesn't it?" Her fingers trailed lower, skating over his abs. "Let me paint you a picture of what I sensed last night. Fleur walked into this house and was immediately hit by the sexual energy. Her breathing changed within seconds. Got faster, shallower. Her cheeks flushed pink and stayed that way the entire time she was here."
Gabrielle's hand moved to his neck, fingers playing with the hair at his nape. "Her pupils dilated so wide there was barely any blue left. Classic sign of arousal. And the way she kept pressing her thighs together? That was her trying to ease the ache between them. Trying to find friction because her body was screaming for it."
Harry felt his arousal building as Gabrielle spoke, her voice low and seductive. She must have felt it too because her hips shifted, pressing more firmly against him.
"She couldn't stop staring at you," Gabrielle continued, her lips brushing his jaw. "At your chest where your shirt was unbuttoned. At your arms. At your mouth. I watched her bite her lower lip twice when she thought no one was looking. And the way she kept smoothing her skirt? That was nervous energy. Sexual energy with nowhere to go."
Her teeth caught his earlobe again, tugging gently before her tongue soothed the sting. "But the real giveaway was her scent. Veela can smell arousal on other veela. And Fleur reeked of it. Sweet and musky and desperate. By the time she left here, she was probably soaked through her knickers."
"Fuck," Harry breathed. His hands gripped her waist tighter.
"Mmm, exactly." Gabrielle's hand slid down to palm him again, feeling how hard he'd gotten. "You like thinking about that, don't you? About Fleur going home last night and stripping out of those wet knickers. About her lying in bed with her hand between her legs, touching herself while she thought about you."
She ground against him knowingly now, her own arousal evident. "I bet she came so hard thinking about you. Probably moaned your name when she did. Imagined it was your hand instead of hers. Your mouth. Your cock."
Harry's control snapped. He captured her mouth in a bruising kiss, swallowing her satisfied laugh. His hands slid under the shirt, finding bare skin and soft curves. She arched into his touch, pressing closer.
"Bedroom," he growled against her lips.
"Too far." Gabrielle was already reaching for his pajamas, pushing them down. "Right here. Right now."
She wasn't wearing anything under his shirt, and within seconds they were aligned. Harry lifted her easily, letting her wrap her legs around his waist as he pressed her against the wall. She was already wet, ready for him, and when he thrust inside her they both groaned at the sensation.
"Ahh yes." Gabrielle's head fell back against the wall. "Fuck me, Harry. Show me what you want to do to her."
The words inflamed him further. He set a brutal pace, driving into her with none of the gentleness from previous nights. This was raw and primal, fueled by the images Gabrielle had purposely painted.
"You like it," she gasped out between thrusts. "Like thinking about Fleur. About having her. About making her scream the way I'm about to."
"Shut up."
"Make me." She bit his shoulder hard enough to leave marks. "Come on, Harry. Harder. Fuck me like you're imagining it's her."
He slammed into her, and she cried out in pleasure. Her nails raked down his back, spurring him on. The kitchen filled with the sounds of their coupling, skin against skin and breathless moans.
"She'd love this," Gabrielle panted, her voice breaking on a particularly deep thrust. "Love having you inside her. Love how you feel. Fuck, she'd probably come just from you entering her the first time. She's been empty so long."
Harry's hand came up to grip her throat lightly, not cutting off air but asserting dominance. "I said shut up."
"No." Gabrielle's smile was wicked despite her breathlessness. "I want you thinking about her. Want you imagining those blue eyes looking up at you. That perfect body beneath you. Those long legs wrapped around your waist just like mine are now."
She clenched around him hard, and Harry groaned. "That's it. Think about sliding into her. About how tight she'd be. How wet. How she'd moan your name and beg for more."
"Gabrielle."
"About tasting her. Making her come on your tongue. Feeling her shake apart beneath you." Her voice was getting higher, breathier. She was close. "About filling her up and marking her as thoroughly as you've marked me."
Harry changed the angle of his thrusts, hitting that spot inside her that made her see stars. She screamed, her whole body going taut.
"That's it," he growled in her ear. "Come for me."
"Make her come like this." Gabrielle's words dissolved into incoherent moans as her orgasm crashed over her. "Make Fleur come like this. Please, Harry. Please."
The begging combined with her pulsing around him sent Harry over the edge. He buried himself deep and came hard, his vision whiting out with the intensity. Gabrielle held him through it, her own aftershocks milking him for everything.
They stayed pressed against the wall for long moments after, both panting. Gabrielle's legs were still wrapped around him, her face buried in his neck. He could feel her heart racing against his chest.
"That was," she started, and laughed breathlessly. "That was intense."
"Understatement of the century." Harry carefully lowered her back to her feet, both of them wincing at the loss of contact. She wobbled slightly and he steadied her with hands on her waist.
Gabrielle looked up at him with satisfaction written across her features despite the flush of exertion. "You were thinking about her, weren't you? About Fleur."
Harry didn't answer, which was answer enough.
"Good." She stretched up to kiss him softly. "Because she's definitely thinking about you too."
xXx
Fleur woke slowly, consciousness returning to her gradually. Sunlight streamed through her bedroom window, warm and golden against her closed eyelids. She stretched beneath the sheets, her body loose and satisfied in a way it hadn't been in years.
Last night came back in vivid detail. Walking into Harry's house and being overwhelmed by sexual energy. Seeing him thoroughly debauched and smelling of sex. Discovering her sister wrapped up in him in the most literal sense. And then coming home and touching herself to fantasies of him until she came harder than she had in recent memory.
Heat bloomed in her core at the recollection. Her hand drifted down between her legs almost unconsciously, finding herself already wet. Apparently her body had decided it wanted more of what it had gotten a taste of last night.
Fleur's eyes opened, staring at the ceiling as her fingers traced idle patterns on her lips. She'd made a decision before falling asleep, though the exact moment eluded her now. She wanted Harry. Wanted to experience what Gabrielle had experienced, wanted to feel that intensity for herself.
And why shouldn't she? They were both adults. He wasn't in a relationship. Neither was she. They were friends who happened to be attracted to each other, and there was nothing wrong with acting on that attraction.
The confidence of the decision settled over her like a comfortable robe. She'd spent years denying herself, focusing solely on building her business. She'd earned the right to some pleasure. Some fun. Some really good sex with a man who clearly knew what he was doing.
Fleur threw back the sheets and padded naked to the bathroom. The tile was cool under her feet, a pleasant contrast to the warmth of her skin. She turned on the shower and stepped under the spray, letting hot water cascade over her body.
Her hand returned to the spot between her thighs without conscious thought. She was swollen and sensitive, still aroused from the memories. Her fingers circled her clit slowly, teasingly, while her other hand cupped her breast.
She thought about Harry as the pleasure built. About his strong body and messy hair and those impossibly green eyes. About how he'd looked standing in his doorway last night, shirt unbuttoned and thoroughly debauched. About the confidence in his movements and the easy way he'd handled an awkward situation.
Fleur imagined those hands on her body. Imagined his mouth on hers, demanding and skilled. Imagined the weight of him pressing her into a mattress as he moved inside her. Her fingers moved faster, chasing the building pleasure.
Would he be gentle or rough? Patient or demanding? Would he take his time exploring her body or would he lose control and just take what he wanted? All of it sounded appealing. All of it made her wetter.
She came with a gasp, pleasure rippling through her in waves. It wasn't as intense as last night had been but it was still deeply satisfying. Fleur leaned against the shower wall, catching her breath as the water continued to pour over her.
This was happening. She was going to seduce Harry Potter.
The thought made her smile. It had been too long since she'd pursued someone who genuinely interested her. Too long since she'd felt this kind of anticipation. Her first and only pursuit had turned out to be an utter failure, but she knew Harry was anything but.
Fleur finished her shower and dried off quickly. She studied her closet with more care than usual, considering what message she wanted to send. Too obvious would be tacky. Too subtle might be missed entirely. She needed something that struck the right balance.
She settled on a sundress that showed off her figure without being overtly sexual. The fabric was light and flowing, perfect for the summer heat. The neckline dipped low enough to showcase her cleavage, and the skirt ended mid-thigh, showing off her legs. Casual enough to seem unplanned, sexy enough to make a statement.
Fleur skipped a bra. The dress had enough structure to support her without one, and going without made her feel bold. Sexy. Ready for whatever might happen. She did wear knickers though, lace ones that made her feel feminine and desirable.
A touch of makeup, just enough to enhance her features. Her hair she left loose, falling in blonde waves around her shoulders. One last look in the mirror confirmed she looked exactly how she wanted to look.
Confident. Beautiful. Available.
Fleur made her way downstairs and out the door, heading toward Harry's property with purposeful strides. The morning air was already warm, promising another hot day. She could sense the familiar magical signatures as she approached his house, both Harry and Gabrielle inside.
Good. If Gabrielle was there, maybe Fleur could gauge her sister's reaction to her interest. Maybe even get some insight into Harry himself. At the very least, it would give her a chance to spend time with him in a low-pressure environment.
She knocked on the door and waited. Voices came from inside, too muffled to make out words. Then footsteps approached and the door swung open to reveal Harry.
He'd dressed properly this time, wearing jeans and a fitted t-shirt that showed off his build. His hair was still messy in that perpetually windswept way. And when he saw her, his expression shifted, becoming warm and genuinely pleased.
"Fleur." He stepped back, gesturing her inside. "This is a surprise."
"A good one, I hope." She moved into the house, purposely stepping close enough that their bodies almost touched as she passed. "I wanted to apologize for barging in last night. I should have been more respectful of your privacy."
"No harm done." Harry closed the door behind her. Then, before she could process what was happening, he pulled her into a hug. "It's good to see you again. Properly this time."
Fleur's breath caught. He was solid and warm against her, his arms strong around her waist. She could smell his cologne mixed with his unique masculine scent. Her body responded immediately, heat pooling low in her belly.
She returned the hug, letting herself enjoy the contact. Her hands splayed across his back, feeling the muscle beneath the thin shirt. This close, she could hear his heartbeat, steady and strong. It took effort to step back when the hug ended, her body protesting against the loss of contact.
"It's good to see you too," she managed, her voice slightly breathless. "It's been too long."
"Way too long." Harry's eyes traveled over her, quick but appreciative. She caught the way his gaze lingered on her cleavage before returning to her face. "You look great."
"Thank you." Fleur smiled, pleased he'd noticed. "You're not looking too bad yourself."
"Fleur!" Gabrielle appeared from the sitting room, grinning widely. "What brings you here so early?"
"I wanted to talk to you both, actually." Fleur moved further into the house, noting the comfortable way Harry and Gabrielle occupied the space. They'd clearly been here a while. "About last night."
"Oh?" Gabrielle's grin turned knowing. Something passed between her and Harry, some silent communication that Fleur couldn't quite read. "What about it?"
"I just wanted to make sure we're all on the same page." Fleur settled onto the sofa, crossing her legs in a way that made her dress ride up slightly. She didn't miss how Harry's eyes tracked the movement. "That there are no hard feelings or awkwardness."
"None at all." Harry moved to sit in the armchair across from her. Gabrielle perched on the arm of his chair, close but not quite touching. "We're all adults here. We all what we're doing."
"Good. That's good." Fleur relaxed back into the sofa. "So what were you two talking about when I arrived? Sounded intense."
"Healing magic," Gabrielle supplied. "Harry was telling me about some of the field healing he had to do during the war. Fascinating stuff, really."
"You had to do field healing?" Fleur looked at Harry with interest. She knew he'd been through hell during the war, but specifics were sparse. He rarely talked about it.
"Sometimes." Harry's expression turned thoughtful. "When we were away hunting those vile things, we didn't always have access to proper medical care. Had to learn to make do with what we had."
"That must have been terrifying."
"It had its moments." He smiled wryly. "Though I'll be the first to admit my technique was rough. More instinct than training."
"Instinct can be valuable too," Gabrielle chimed in. "Formal training is important, but knowing how to think on your feet in an emergency? That's what saves lives."
They fell into easy conversation, Harry sharing stories from the war while Gabrielle added her own insights from her healer training. Fleur listened with genuine interest, asking questions and contributing where relevant. It was comfortable, the three of them talking like this. Natural.
But underneath the casual conversation, tension simmered. Fleur caught Harry looking at her multiple times, his gaze warming when their eyes met. She made sure to return those looks with interest of her own, letting him see her appreciation.
And Gabrielle kept shooting meaningful glances at Harry, subtle enough that Fleur might have missed them if she weren't paying attention. Her sister was clearly encouraging him to do something, though what exactly remained unclear.
The conversation shifted to lighter topics. Recent news from Britain, developments in the French magical community, Gabrielle's upcoming start at her healer journey. They talked and laughed, the morning stretching on comfortably.
Throughout it all, Fleur remained aware of Harry's presence in a way she couldn't ignore. The way he moved, the rhythm of his voice, the flash of his smile when Gabrielle said something funny. Everything about him drew her attention and held it.
Finally, after nearly an hour, Gabrielle stood and stretched. "I should get going. Training session starts in thirty minutes and I need to change first."
"Already?" Fleur asked, surprised. "I just got here."
"Some of us have responsibilities." Gabrielle smirked at her sister. "Unlike you, apparently. Don't you have a boutique to run?"
"I decided to take the day off." Fleur kept her tone casual. "I've been working nonstop for weeks. One day of relaxation won't kill the business."
"Good for you." Gabrielle moved toward the door, then paused to look back at them. Her smile turned impish. "You two behave while I'm gone."
Harry rolled his eyes. "We're not children, Gabrielle."
"Never said you were." She winked at Fleur, then disappeared out the door before either could respond.
Her smile widened as the door closed behind her.
"It's going to be an interesting day."
Head over to patreon.com/KyleVirex to read more of my works. The username is KyleVirex on all other sites where I post, so you can find me anywhere else using the same.
Thanks for reading!