Waking up in the morning, Fleur smiled. She was dreaming about Harry again today. But whereas before it had always been a courtroom, now she dreamed that he had come to her and told her that he was all right and that he loved her.
The last year of the Frenchwoman's life has been very eventful. First, she became friends with Harry. Harry, who seemed to avoid everyone in his school. When the name of the fourth champion had just come out of the cup, Fleur, like everyone else, had assumed that Potter just wanted to show off in front of everyone and was only pretending not to be guilty. However, after getting to know him a little better, Veela realised that Harry wasn't the kind of person who would seek fame. After the second trial, she began to look at Potter with completely different eyes. He no longer seemed like a little boy with an inflated ego. Now he was a brave young man who had saved her sister from the lake, even though he had lost the trial because of it.
As Fleur got to know him better, she didn't notice how she began to fall in love with him. Harry was a very kind and sympathetic guy, he looked at the world with the eyes of an adult and did not feel any attraction from the aura of Veela. The Frenchwoman devoted all her free time to socialising with Harry. They trained together in a special room, and often these training sessions turned into simple fireside chats about nothing.
It all came crashing down in an instant. It seemed as if everyone was convinced that Harry had indeed killed another champion, and for a moment Fleur herself thought about it, but as soon as she saw the confused and bewildered look in the green eyes, she was ashamed of her assumption. After the execution, Fleur had become withdrawn. Every day she felt worse and there was nothing she could do about it.
Another problem was the strange feeling she got every time she thought of Harry. It had been there before, but then Potter had been around and Fleur hadn't paid any attention to it. Now, the feeling was becoming unbearable. Asking her mother for advice, Fleur learned about how a Veela chooses her mate. Apolline was surprised that despite Potter's death, the feeling remained, but she couldn't explain why. Then Fleur decided to move to England and do everything possible to prove Harry's innocence. However, when the Ministry found out about it, she was hindered in every possible way, and even threatened with a trial a couple of times, but it did not stop her.
Feeling a strange stirring under her head, the Frenchwoman jerked out of her memories, sharply raised her head and looked at her cushion. On the sofa in a half-sitting position slept Harry. With one hand he was cradling Fleur against him and with the other he held his wand pointed towards the fireplace. Remembering everything that had happened last night, the girl couldn't contain her emotions:
- Harry," the girl whispered through her tears, stroking the boy's cheek. - You're alive.
Potter smiled and rubbed his cheek against the girl's hand, opening his eyes.
- Alive, love," he said, trying to suppress a yawn.
Fleur smiled and squeezed the boy in her arms:
- 'Well, now tell me. How did you survive, and why did it take you six months to do it?
***
Feeling Fleur fall asleep, I took out my wand and made the fireplace give more heat. I rested my head on the back of the sofa and dozed off before I knew it.
- So we meet again. So, how do you like the title of hero of the magical world? - When I found myself in the same hall as last time, I saw Death in front of me again.
- You should be stripped of your rank for such a set-up. You put me in Potter's body, but why Azkaban?
- I told you there's an infinite number of possibilities. In your new life, everyone around you is a little smarter than the story you know. However, I think you're missing a few important points. You don't have to divide yourself into two different people. You are Harry Potter now, and all thoughts, feelings, and emotions that belonged to him are now yours. You don't have to think that you're cheating that adorable girl sleeping on your shoulder, because you really love her, and that crazy houseboy is really important to you. All in all, all that's left of your past personality here is your knowledge and that dubious sense of humour. And now in any situation, you'll be thinking not only with your mind, but also drawing on what you already had in Harry Potter. Haven't you noticed that you don't remember much of the years you've lived before?
Hmm, that's true. Just some vague images, and the last day is pretty good. Except now I'm rescuing Fleur from the river.
- You see," he interpreted my confusion correctly. - You need a little time to get used to it, but you're on the right track.
- Great, thanks for the clarification, I have to go," I started pinching myself vigorously to wake up and think things through in peace.
- No, wait, not so fast," he returned his favourite smirk to his face, and I mentally groaned. I knew they wouldn't let me live in peace. - Of course they wouldn't. I have a little task for you, since the situation is so favourable.
- What, give you back the gifts?
- What gifts? - Death was surprised.
- Well, there's a wand, a stone, and a robe, I guess," I started to think about where the stone might be now.
- Ah, those... No, no, you can keep them, I don't need them. After all, they'll come back to me sooner or later. I need you to kill Tom Riddle. His Horcruxes give him a good hiding place. There's only one left now, so it's a tricky one, but doable. Dumbledore has done a good job on it, but it's unlikely he'll have time to finish what he started.
I wondered. In principle, I was not going to sit on the sidelines, but even a fool knows that one on one I do not have much chance.
- Of course, you can't beat him in a fair magical duel," Death persisted, reading my thoughts. - However, unconventional moves are your speciality, so surprise me.
- I guess I don't have a choice anyway, do I?
Death shook his head negatively:
- No, you can certainly die quickly and stay here, but I don't think you can do that to that girl.
Indeed, I can't. My attitude towards Fleur is the best proof of what he's been saying to me:
- I can't, you're right. So you'll have to try.
- That's good," his smile made me feel like I was being fooled. - I'll see you later.
***
I woke up and felt someone gently stroking my cheek.
- Harry, you're alive," Fleur whispered to me.
- I'm alive, love," I smiled, enjoying the touch.
The next second she had me in her arms:
- Well, now tell me. How did you survive, and why did it take you six months?
- I don't fully understand it myself, to be honest. Just at some point I woke up in a cell, which turned out to be unlocked, found the chief's office and there I remembered everything, as well as learnt how long I had been out. By the way, did you know that the ministry is watching you? - A little half-truth would be the best solution right now, and soon it would be the truth, so she didn't need unnecessary details.
- I know," she sighed. - It's because I've been trying to find proof that you're innocent," she didn't want to open her arms, which was fine with me.
- Fleur, why would you do that? Because it wouldn't have saved me, and you could have been charged, wouldn't you?
- Harry, you probably don't know this, but a Veela only chooses her mate once in a lifetime," I said, "I'll take that as a no-brainer. - We can change partners all the time, but we can only truly love one. And the moment I admitted to myself that I had feelings for you, I began to feel a connection between us. - Apparently, yesterday's confession was made solely under the influence of strong emotions, because during this speech she blushed to the roots of her hair.
- So even after the execution I wasn't allowed to attend," her voice trembled, but she continued: - I felt that all was not yet lost and perhaps you could come back. And yesterday that connection strengthened dramatically and became the same as before, so I believed you almost immediately.
I pulled her tighter against me and whispered:
- I didn't deserve a miracle like you.
- That's for sure! - She smiled and stood up. - Consider me a gift from heaven, former hero. Let's go to the kitchen, I'll make breakfast.
I laughed and followed her, thinking that if I missed her, I could hang myself.
- So," she put her plate aside and looked at me carefully. - What do you plan to do now?
- Well, for starters, I thought I'd persuade you to quit your job, then I'd offer to stay with me until summer, because it's a little cold here in winter, and then I'd have to kill the Lord. Something like that.
I wonder which of those three points made her so angry, does she really not want to quit?
- Kill the Lord?! - Oh, that's what she means. - Are you out of your mind?! I'd kill you myself before I let you get involved in this adventure!
- Calm down, honey, it's not an adventure," my calm voice made her even more furious.
- Well, think about it. Sooner or later everyone will know that I'm alive and well. And then everyone will want to catch me. Fudge can be dismissed at once-he doesn't have the guts to do anything serious on his own, especially since he'll be out of his chair as soon as Riddle's alive. Dumbledore and the Lord are going to take me seriously, and if the Headmaster is going to drop out in three months, Tom isn't going to do it, so I need to play it safe," he said, his tone calm, his confidence unwavering and his arguments ironclad. At least the feathers were gone from her hands.
- We could just leave the country. Stay at Delacourt Manor, for example. Our parents would be happy to take us in.
I shook my head negatively:
- With Dumbledore dead, Magical England won't last a month, and then the Lord will move across the Straits. We need to stop him before the war comes to France.
- You're probably right," she lowered her head contritely. - But know that I won't let you go anywhere alone!
- I'm not going anywhere without you," I kissed her.
- You've changed, Harry," Fleur whispered between kisses. - But I like you even better like this.
Smoothly we moved into the living room. Fleur pushed me onto the couch and sat on top of me, pushing my chin down lightly, running the tip of her tongue across my lips. I slid my palm down her cheek and began to gently move through her hair. Gradually, the kiss became more and more demanding, and we were only able to pull away from each other when we started to gasp.
- Uh," I managed to squeeze out, out of breath. - I have a new plan. We're not getting off this couch for the next two years.
Fleur laughed and asked in a languid voice:
- What happens in two years, Mr Potter?
She was running her finger over my chest as she said this, so I couldn't think straight:
- Well, in two years you can change your position," with those words I pulled her to me again.
After about twenty minutes, we were finally able to pull away from each other and get to our feet.
- I need to go to Gringotts and tell them I'm quitting," Fleur adjusted her blouse. - And then we can go and see your new place of residence.
- Yeah, let's do that. I've got a couple of places I need to check out, too. I suggest we meet here in two hours," I began to form the first components of a brilliant plan to kill the man-with-a-long-fictitious-name, but I'd have to check it out carefully.
- Please don't get into any trouble," Fleur looked at me fondly. - I'll expect a full report on your actions later.
- There is no getting into trouble, ma'am!" She just doesn't know that it's actually trouble that's getting into me.
By then we were fully equipped to go outside.
- Wait a minute," she turned to me abruptly. - Dumbledore's going to die in three months?!
- We'll discuss that later, love," I kissed her on the lips and apparated away. I have a feeling I'm going to get an earful when I get back.
***
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