"You know ze spell I used on zat idiot who insulted Gabrielle and me?" Fleur asked.
"Malfoy?" Harry asked, "The spell that emptied his digestive system?"
"Yes zat one," Fleur replied. "It has a potion equivalent which I brewed and dried into a powder. All it takes is some skin contact and ze effects occur. I added it to several of the bog rolls stored in zeir cupboard."
"So five minutes after they leave the bathroom…" Hermione asked.
"Zey will need to return…oui."
"And when she told us what she was doing," George said, "we added a bit of a surprise ourselves."
"If he flushes the toilet while still seated on it," Fred continued, "Like he will probably do under that much release. The toilet will not drain."
The twins turned to Fleur, "By any chance do you have any of the powder left?" George asked.
"We want to put a little more on Malfoy and a few other of the Slytherin scumbags."
"A little," And when she handed over the vial in her pocket the twins looked at it like it was more valuable than Galleons.
"Empty," Vernon grumbled as he saw the empty bog roll dispenser. "Why can't that woman ever replace it," Of course, he kept his voice to a minimum since he was still sleeping on the couch because of those magazines. He walked over the cupboard and grabbed a new roll and put it in the dispenser. He didn't notice the faint white powder that was on the roll. He only spent a minute before finishing his current business. He was too fat to actually see where he aimed when he urinated so he had to sit down or risk Petunia's wraith.
He'd just settled into his favorite recliner ready to turn on the telly when he felt the unmistakable urge to return to the john immediately. For a fat man, under that type of pressure, he was actually quite nimble and made it just in time. Over the next few minutes he felt like his entire insides had turned to liquid as it poured out of him.
Shortly he reached over and flushed the toilet to make sure the mess wouldn't create some kind of stoppage. He heard the water start to enter the toilet, but no accompanying flush as it exited. He was too fat to look between his legs, but then he felt it. The cold touch of liquids as it came in contact with his arse. The tainted water continued to rise until it poured out of the toilet in all directions. Unfortunately for Vernon, he was still adding more liquids to the mess and could not move.
"PETUNIA!" Vernon screamed as he literally started crying amongst the smell in the john.
Petunia responded to the cry to find her husband sitting on the toilet with the floor covered in brown smelly liquid with partial brown bits floating in it. The smell caused her to immediately vacate her dinner into the mess on the took several hours to clean the bathroom, but when it was over, Petunia felt sorry for her husband and allowed him to return to their marital bed.
That night Vernon once again fell into a deep slumber with dreams filled with Waterfalls. The smell of urine wouldn't come out of the bed this time and they had to replace the mattress.
Severe diarrhea raged through the Dursley home for the next couple of weeks with overflows happening several times as well. They even visited the doctor where he gave them anti-diarrhea pills and told them to drink plenty of liquids. One day after leaving the loo Petunia made her way to the kitchen where she saw another rat. This time she pushed the chair over to the phone before hopping onto it, and as she was screaming at her husband to get the exterminator back she felt that pressure that had come all too familiar recently.
"Petunia dear." Vernon called when his wife's voice stopped. "What's wrong?" The next thing he heard was a groan from his wife and a sound like water pouring onto the floor.
"VERNON! COME HOME NOW!" Petunia screamed.
"What's wrong?"
"WHAT'S WRONG? I'LL TELL YOU WHAT'S WRONG, I JUST MESSED ON MYSELF, NOW GET YOUR FAT ARSE HOME NOW AND HELP ME," Petunia screamed at her husband and then started sobbing.
A man with shaggy black hair was sitting at a table in the Chamber of Secrets. On the table was a mirror he had been watching. As the screeching voice of his Godson's aunt declared she had messed on herself after she had been yelling at her husband about another rat, he couldn't hold in the laughter. He could just visualize the horse faced bitch standing on a chair surrounded by her own mess. It wasn't long before the stitch in his side was aching. Finally composing himself, he pulled the parchment over and made another note to share with everyone later.
Severus Snape was fuming inside as he accepted the offered potion bottle from Harry Potter. He could already tell by the color that it was nearly perfect and he hated it. "You can return to your seat Mr. Potter," He snarled.
"Yes sir," Harry replied and smiled at his Potion's professor.
It was no secret that Severus Snape hated Harry Potter. Hated the son of the man who had stolen the women he loved from him. Stolen the only happiness he'd ever known. That he looked like James Potter was even worse. In the past years it had been relatively easy to ridicule and berate the boy in class because of his poor potion making abilities. Severus loved to use the power he had to make the son of his most hated rival suffer.
"I might have agreed to protect Lily's son," He thought, "but it's doesn't mean I can't make James Potter's son life a living hell," Seeing the anger burn in young Mr. Potter's eyes without him being able to retaliate was candy to Severus' soul.
Recently that had all changed. Potter's potions had become on par with Miss Granger's. "The bloody Miss know-it-all," Snape thought. Even when he put them on opposite sides of the room so there was no way for her to be helping Potter, his potions were still coming out close to perfect each time. "I can't even get him angry anymore," He thought to himself. "Every time I see a glint of anger in his eyes, he seems to master himself and that stupid smile returns."
The one consolation the Potions Master had was that Potter wasn't showing romantic interest in Granger. If the ghost of James Potter ever started dating the smartest witch in the school who happened to be a muggleborn, it would be the past all over again.
"Damn him," Snape thought again as he watched the class file out the door. Potter did what he'd done every class for the last couple of weeks. He turned and smiled that damn smile at him.
"I want to know what's behind that damn smile," Snape thought. "It's too much like the smile his father had when he started dating Lily. Is that it, because he's dating that Veela?"
That was the other problem. "How did Potter develop Occlumency? His mind used to be an open book. I could easily find ways to make him angry. Worse it's like no Occlumency I've ever felt. It's like his mind isn't even there. Normally I should at least feel the walls a person erected, but his is more like nothingness."
Snape sat back in his chair trying to piece together the puzzle that was Harry Potter. "Maybe Dark Arts were used. I wouldn't put it past him to try something like that. That probably what that smile is about," Snape got up from his chair. "I need to speak to the Headmaster."
Twenty minutes later Snape was sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk.
"Yes, I am very familiar with Mr. Potter's ability to shield his mind Severus," The Headmaster said.
"And how did he do it so quickly?" Snape asked. "What dark arts did he use?"
"How it was done is none of your concern for the time being, but I will assure you that it was neither illegal nor dangerous for Mr. Potter."
"How am I supposed to protect the boy if I don't know such things?" Snape argued.
"You are but one part of Mr. Potter's protection," Dumbledore said with a more firm tone. "You do not need to know everything. The secret is Mr. Potter's to share if and when he desires to."
Snape was frustrated. If Potter had been dabbling in something he wasn't supposed to be, it would be something to hold against the brat, but the Headmaster was quite convinced the boy had done this in some fashion that was legal. He knew Potter's new girlfriend was part Veela. "Of course it's typical Potter behavior to convince some girl that he did something to make it look like he saved her life," Snape thought. "If she was in peril he probably caused it like his father's friend did with me. He then probably arrogantly convinced her to fall for him since she owed him," Severus almost snarled at the thought as he remembered his old nemesis and his friend Sirius hitting on any girl they could. Bringing his mind back to the younger Potter he thought of his girlfriend again. Her being part Veela made passive legilimency difficult if not impossible. Even if it was possible the fact she was the daughter of the Deputy Minister of Magic of France would prevent him from trying. "If it was found out, even Dumbledore couldn't protect me if a formal complaint occurred from the French Ministry," The Potion Master thought.
Albus knew Severus Snape was an extremely good occlumens which is the only way he had survived the previous war as Dumbledore's spy in the ranks of the Death Eaters, but he didn't need to be able to read Snape's mind to know what he was thinking. "Severus, leave young Mr. Potter alone. He has enough to deal with right now with the tournament.."
"Another arrogant attempt at fame," Snape sneered.
"For someone who spends an inordinate amount of time probing Mr. Potter's mind, you don't seem to be interested in determining facts concerning him," Dumbledore said in a hard tone. "I've told you several times that Mr. Potter did not enter himself in the tournament, of that I am very certain. Who did and what their ultimate aim was I am not sure but I am greatly concerned as is Alastor. Now as I was saying, young Mr. Potter has enough to be concerned with at the moment for you to add to his problems. Do I make myself clear Severus?"
"Yes Headmaster."
"On another topic, is the mark still darkening?"
Snape glared at the Headmaster for a few seconds before pulling back his sleeve displaying a red tattoo of a skull with a snake coming out of its mouth. "Yes," He spat out then continued, "Karkaroff cornered me again the other day. As I told you at the Yule Ball he will run if it burns."
"The crimes of one's past always seem to catch up with us before the end, don't they Severus?" Dumbledore said quietly. "And those are the ones which hurt the most," He thought as he watched the glare intensify in Snape's eyes before his Potion Master turned and stalked out of his office.
Harry and his bond mates were in the Chamber again studying. The door to the secondary area had been forced to stay open so Remus could work on the discarded Basilisk skins. Hermione kept glancing over at the door and finally threw down her quill.
"I want to know what a Horcrux is," She said as she got up and walked into the area headed for Slytherin's library again. It had been a growing irritation for the young witch to have a book snatched out of her hands and then not be able to find out what exactly that word had meant. She'd even researched the restricted section of the library with a pass from Professor McGonagall to no avail. She hadn't told McGonagall the real reason she wanted the pass since she had been afraid that the Headmaster might try to prevent her from looking for it if she told him. She'd told her Head of House she wanted to see if the restricted section had anything more on bonds. She had felt guilty about lying to her favorite professor, but she couldn't help but feel it was important.
"We've already looked over the books in there love," Harry said. When Dumbledore hadn't requested a return visit to the Chamber library after taking the books he did, the bonded quartet had waited the day and then started looking at the books themselves. Fleur knew the protection spell for older books and had quickly taught it to Harry and then it went to Gabrielle and Hermione. There had been several books written in Parseltongue that Harry was making extremely slow progress in trying to understand. Being able to understand Parseltongue did not mean he could take that knowledge and apply it to how the magic behind the speech worked. He spent some time each day trying to translate the squiggly lines into English words.
"I'm looking again," Hermione replied shortly.
Harry sighed. He knew why she was short and irritable, but also knew it would end sometime tomorrow if the previous month had been a good indicator. The previous month he had wondered how he never realized there were times that Hermione had been a bit more emotional and argumentative. He followed her and found her staring at the books on one of the bookshelves. He walked up behind her and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her closer to him. He moved some of her hair away from her neck and lightly kissed the spot right below her ear where he knew she loved being kissed as he whispered, "I love you," He felt her relax some in the bond. After a few more kisses he asked "What can I do to help?"
"You go finish your assignment," Hermione said. "I'll look around here some more," Though as she said that, he felt her arms tighten over his holding them in place.
"I prefer to hold you," Harry told her. Hermione smiled a little as she knew he really meant it. But of course his assignment was an essay for History of Magic so he would probably prefer to hold Millicent Bulstrode rather than finish the assignment.
"Not Millicent," Harry said after catching her thoughts, "Maybe Parkinson though," The instant change in her emotions meant he had forgotten his golden rule, 'No teasing on these days.'
"I didn't mean it love," Harry said quickly, "It was a joke."
"I know and I'm not mad at you," Hermione replied. "You're picking up my emotions before I can control them. If you were not inside my head, you'd have never known I even reacted to you saying that."
"I like being inside your head," Harry said as he turned Hermione around and looked into her eyes. "It lets me know when I'm doing something that hurts you and I never want to hurt you," He kissed her softly. "Not even for an instant," He kissed her again. He felt her desire to make the kiss deeper and he responded. After a few minutes when they separated, his eyes returned to hers, the intensity of the emerald gaze caused Hermione's whole existence to fade into them as he continued, "I don't know what I did to earn your love, but whatever it was, I want to make sure I keep doing it," Harry lips touched again and again deepened into a passionate kiss that Fleur and Gabrielle felt as they were doing their work. They looked at other and smiled, quickly getting up; they dashed to find their bond mate and sister.
"Eet is 'Arry snogging time?" Said a voice from behind them as Harry and Hermione's kiss came to an end. They both knew that Fleur had joined them and when they looked at her, she smiled. "Perhaps you were searching for zis 'orcrux thing in 'Arry's mouth? Maybe I can 'elp in ze examination?"
"Me too!" Gabrielle chimed in as she came in behind Fleur.
Hermione couldn't help but smile at her bond sisters' antics. "You let them do their searching," She said to Harry. "And I'll look some more at these books."
"Sure you're alright?"
"I am love," Hermione replied.
The two of them kept their eyes locked for several more seconds until finally Hermione gave him one more quick kiss on his lips and pushed him toward her bond sisters. As she was watched Fleur snag Harry's lips first, Hermione smiled as she shook her head. She reached into a pocket of her robes and pulled out a piece of Honeyduke caramel filled chocolate that she had put there from the box Harry had given her the previous day. "I would love to go back in time to earlier this year just to see my own face as I told my earlier self that in just a few months she would be love bonded to her best friend, whom she actually loves, along with two other women who just happen to be the Veela that she despises and her sister," She thought, and then she put her hand to her forehead as she realized what she had just thought. "I think all of this talk about pranking is getting to me. I'm now thinking of pranking myself in the past," She shook her head again as she turned back to the books even as she felt the sensation of Fleur kissing Harry creeping into her mind.
"Maybe I can ask Papa about ze 'orcruxes 'Ermione," Fleur said a couple of evenings later. Hermione had gotten permission from Professor McGonagall to spend time with Fleur studying in her bond sisters' Carriage room past curfew. Harry was asleep in Gryffindor Tower and Gabrielle was already in bed almost asleep. "Even if 'e doesn't know what zey are, 'e's got people to find information."
"I wouldn't want to put your father to any trouble Fleur," Hermione replied. "Not for something silly like this."
"It's not silly. And wouldn't you ask your own father if 'e could look up ze information?"
"Probably, but he can't."
"Yes but you are family. Papa told you zat you should consider yourself one of 'is daughters so we'll be asking your father as well," Fleur argued. "Besides I'm just as curious."
"But what if it's something we shouldn't be asking about?"
"Did your 'eadmaster say not to?" Fleur asked. "Even if 'e 'ad, what right would 'e 'ave to prevent you from learning something?"
Hermione fidgeted as she thought. "But it had to have been Riddle who wrote it which means it's probably Dark Magic of some sort."
"Eef it is Dark Magic do you plan on using eet?" Fleur asked.
"Of course not," Hermione replied but realized the verbal trap Fleur was so excellent in setting. She sighed and recited a line Fleur had told her at an earlier time. "All knowledge is useful in developing an overall understanding of a subject, even that which has been discovered to be wrong or outdated. So even Dark Magic in understanding has a purpose in understanding magic overall?"
"Exactly my sister," Fleur responded. "You told me already zat your Defense teacher taught you ze unforgivables, even put you under ze imperious, could zis be worse?"
"If Voldemort was researching it, it very well could be. But okay, we'll ask your father."
"Non, we'll ask our," Fleur's hand gestured between the two of them, "Papa. You 'ave two fazzers now. You know 'e and Maman ask about you in every letter."
Hermione smiled as she remembered the letters Fleur and Gabrielle received and even a few letters addressed directly to her. "I wished my father was that accepting."
"It will 'appen with time 'Ermione. 'E already supports your decision, but it will take time for 'im to really see 'ow 'appy you are and will be. Besides your mother did say it was alright for me and Gabrielle to visit zis summer."
"But they haven't decided on whether it would be 'appropriate' for Harry to join us."
"Zey are still seeing it as zeir fifteen year old daughter wants to bring 'er boyfriend 'ome. Zey might say zey understand ze bond is permanent, but it really 'asn't sunk into zem yet what zat means." Fleur replied. "Besides it will make sleeping next to 'Arry all ze better when we are back with 'im at my 'ouse."
Hermione's cheeks turned pink as she thought of the morning she woke up being held by her bondmate and of how Harry had used his memory of that moment in creating his Patronus. "Your parents will allow us to sleep with him?"
"Of course. Zey might 'esitate slightly over Gabrielle but not much. Especially with what Maman said. But my parents understand ze bond and what it means, and ze French culture doesn't 'ave ze same…same views on sex as you do 'ere."
"I get to sleep with 'Arry too?" Gabrielle asked quietly from her bed.
"Of course Gabi," Fleur said, "Zo Maman might 'esitate a little with you."
"Je ne peux pas attendre," Hermione heard along with a long sigh from her younger bond sister. She gave a quizzical look at Fleur. Though Hermione had read several French books, hearing the language, especially spoken that softly made it difficult to translate.
"She can't wait," Fleur replied to the look. "Neither can I."
"Okay, I can't either," Hermione agreed. "But are we talking about just being in bed with Harry or actually…well..that?"
"Sex?" and when Hermione blushingly nodded Fleur continued. "At ze moment I was speaking of just being in 'is bed, but you've figured out what's going to 'appen when one of us does 'ave sex with 'Arry?"
Hermione nodded again. "Harry and I sort of discussed it when I woke up beside him," She said. "I…I was nervous he might think I meant something more when he found me in his bed. Truthfully I really don't think I could have told him no if he had wanted to go further, but I...I don't think I'm ready for that yet," She said nervously. "He was very understanding. He said he wouldn't ask until we were ready. But once it happens then.." Hermione's voice trailed off as she looked at Fleur.
"We're all going to feel eet…oui," Fleur replied. "And once zat 'appens for one, zen we all will want to do eet."
Hermione looked over at the younger Delacour. "But Gabrielle."
"Eet will 'appen for 'er as well."
"So three years?" Hermione knew Gabrielle's fourteenth birthday was on May twenty-seventh, which was a little more than a month away.
"Non, eet won't be zat long."
"But she's too young."
"Speaking as 'er big sister, I'll always think she is too young, but as 'er bond sister I know she won't be," Fleur replied.
"So you don't think we will be married first?" Hermione asked. It wasn't a big factor in her life, but she had thought of possibly of her first sexual encounter being her wedding night.
Fleur sat down the quill that was still in her hand, and looked away for a few seconds before turning back to Hermione. "I don't want you to mention zis to 'Arry and try to not think of eet to 'im, s'il vous plait, because I don't want 'im to feel any pressure to be or do more zan 'e's already doing," When Hermione nodded her head but with a look of concern in her eyes Fleur continued. "To Gabrielle and I, 'Arry is already our 'usband." At the look of shock on Hermione's face she quickly explained. "I don't mean we're magically or legally married or anything like zat. But what is marriage 'Ermione? It's when you commit yourself to ze one you're going to be with for ze rest of your life is eet not? And declare zere will be no other besides 'im?"
Hermione started to get a look of recognition on her face as she slowly nodded.
"Gabrielle and I 'ave committed ourselves to ze man we will spend our lives with and zere will be nor even can be any other. You 'ave also, but you 'ave to come to terms with what you call eet in your own mind. But to me, 'Arry is my 'usband and someday I 'ope I am one of 'is wives," Fleur's smile appeared on her face, "Someday I want a big ceremony and a beautiful dress and have 'Arry declare 'e takes me for one of 'is wives."
"Of course that will happen," Hermione said. "He already thinks of you and Gabrielle as his family so why wouldn't you? And when we were discussing it at the dinner with my parents, he was already talking about how he would be married to all of us."
"It's still 'is choice and zat's why I don't want you to say anything to 'im," Fleur said. "I don't want 'im to think 'e 'as to marry me because of ze bond or try to be a 'usband without being ready for eet. We will always be connected and 'e will always be my love, but eet is up to 'im to develop ze love for me and my sister as 'e does for you and decide 'e wants to marry us."
"He will love you," Hermione insisted. "Besides, I wouldn't accept a proposal from him unless he was also going to propose to you and Gabrielle at the same time."
"You wouldn't?" Fleur asked a little surprised.
"No, I really wouldn't. You and Gabrielle…well I can't think of the words to say the feeling I have for you two. I've never been this close to other females before. You're my friends, my sisters and well everything. I've never had a female friend I could discuss personal things with," Hermione declared. "But as for him loving you, it's not even a concern. Harry can't help but fall deeply in love with you two."
"Can I tell you something else and you not tell our bondmate? Or at least try to keep it from him."
"I'll try."
"E is already starting to love us," Fleur said with a small smile. "I first noticed it when we did ze patronuses, but ever since zen it's been growing."
"That's wonderful," Hermione exclaimed. "But why don't you want Harry to know?"
"I just want 'im to discover it for 'imself or at least let it grow more," Fleur explained. "I can't wait for ze day 'e tells me 'e loves me like 'e tells you."
"I...I never realized it bothered you," Hermione said realizing how many times Harry told her those words but he never said them to Fleur or Gabrielle.
"Non..Non, eet does not bother me 'Ermione. Eet is a good thing," Fleur responded immediately. "Eet makes 'im 'appy and it makes you 'appy. I just want to hear 'im say ze words to me and feel it when 'e does. Try to keep it from 'im if you can please. 'E will eventually do eet and eet will be very special when 'e does."
"I won't tell him," Hermione said. "And I'll try to not think about it."
"Thank you," Fleur said then continued. "But back to your question, we might wait until marriage to 'ave sex, but only if ze marriage 'appens pretty quickly. One or two years at ze most."
"But Gabrielle?" Hermione objected again. "She won't be old enough to marry by then and my parents would kill me."
"Gabrielle will be ready. You 'eard my Maman when ze topic of marriage came up. She said zat it would probably 'appen before Gabrielle turned seventeen," Fleur replied. "I think she 'ad already figured out 'ow ze sex was going to be an issue and thinks zat marriage or at least ze proposal would 'appen either before or shortly after we start being intimate with 'Arry."
"So you think Harry will propose and marry us within the next two years?"
"I don't know. I think my mother thinks zat, but I am sure we will be intimate with 'Arry before two years."
"But Gabrielle will only be fifteen or sixteen. You really think she will be ready for that?"
"After one or two years of experiencing ze kisses 'Arry gives and being entranced by zose eyes of 'is? She won't be just ready, she'll be demanding. Especially if 'is love for us grows into something similar to what 'e 'as for you. It will be no different zan for you and me. Do you think you can wait longer zan zat?"
"It is a pretty powerful affect he has isn't it?" Hermione said blushing.
Fleur actually blushed as she responded to the question, "Yes it is. I..I already want 'im 'Ermione. When 'e looks at me with zose eyes of 'is and zen kisses me I…well I just want more sometimes. I've been teasing 'im trying to get 'im to look at my body. I'm probably doing more zan I should but…"
Hermione couldn't help but continue her blush at her bond sister's declaration. "But shouldn't we wait for Gabrielle to be old enough, I mean to be seventeen?"
"If we try it prevent it from 'appening because of Gabrielle, she might start feeling guilty or we might start resenting 'er. Remember that Gabrielle is unique in zis situation, she transformed months before she should 'ave and bonded immediately afterwards. She could be the youngest Veela bond ever to 'appen. But we will agree zat it will not 'appen zis summer oui?"
"Definitely not this summer."
"Zen when ze summer is over we will discuss it some more."
"Fair enough," Hermione agreed.
The two older bondmates continued to discuss other things but a little later Fleur had another question.
"Did your 'air never settle down?" She asked seeing her friend's bushy hair. "As it at least been more manageable?"
"Oh..yes it did," Hermione asked excitedly. "It's been much easier to comb and a week ago it did this," She picked up her wand and gave a wave over her head and muttered a finite command. Her hair quickly descended from the bushy mess it normally is to a very stylish slightly curled look. "I've been using a spell to keep it bushy looking so not to have too many questions asked."
"Does 'Arry know?"
"I 'aven't told him and he hasn't asked," Hermione replied. "Not sure if he knows from me thinking about it or not. I've been waiting for the right time to show him."
"Can you change it magically?"
"Like you can?" Hermione asked. "No, I...I haven't thought to try it. I was just excited it was doing what it's doing. I mean it's exactly what I've always wanted as it is now."
"If it's doing zat on its own, I imagine you can. Especially if it's exactly 'ow you want it to be. Go over to ze mirror, and look at yourself," Fleur said. "When you can visualize yourself perfectly with what you want your 'air to look like, close your eyes and picture it in your mind zen desire it to 'appen."
"You really think I can do it?"
"One way to find out," Fleur said smiling at her bond sister.
Hermione looked in the mirror and after a few minutes, Fleur saw her close her eyes, and noticed a look of concentration appeared on her face, and a few seconds later Hermione opened her eyes and looked back in the mirror. She had wished for perfectly straight hair and she saw it was now perfectly straight until it reached her ears and then it was the same slightly curled hair she had already, giving her a very odd looking hair style.
Hermione could see in the mirror that Fleur was giggling quietly behind her. After a few seconds the part Veela controlled her giggles and said to Hermione. "You made a common mistake. I did ze same thing when I first did it. You only thought about how it looks around your face so zat's exactly what you changed."
"You didn't tell me everything did you?" Hermione complained with a fake glare on her face.
"No. I wanted a little laugh if you succeeded," Fleur smirked. "Try it again, but zis time don't use ze mirror. Just try to make it as it's always been."
Hermione closed her eyes and brought up the image of her bushy hair that had stared back at her for years. This time she concentrated on the entire length as it fell past her shoulders. When she opened her eyes and looked in the mirror a very familiar sight of her hair as it's been for years greeted her.
She turned back to Fleur and smiled, "We aren't even anymore. You can't imagine what this means to me. Harry and manageable hair? Hmm...tough to decide which is better."
Fleur playfully rolled her eyes at Hermione "So you play with your 'air tomorrow, and I take your 'Arry time?"
"Okay, so Harry's better; much better than the hair. But it's still just amazing and it's something else I owe you and Gabrielle for."
"It wasn't something we gave you, it just 'appened because of ze magic. Besides zere is no owing amongst sisters is zere?" Fleur asked. "Even if zere was you gave me somezing earlier zat was more precious zan changing 'airstyles."
"I didn't give you anything," Hermione replied, trying to think what Fleur might be talking about.
"Yes you did. When you said you wouldn't take a proposal from our bond mate without it being for all of us," Fleur replied, "it meant ze world to me."
"But it wasn't even necessary. Harry would never do that," Hermione replied.
"But it means you also see us as family 'Ermione. You said it instinctively as you truly feel you are our sister."
"Of course I do!" Hermione exclaimed.
"Okay you two," Gabrielle said quietly, "I was 'aving a perfectly wonderful dream about 'Arry and you two woke me up. Now go to sleep so I can get back in 'Arry's arms."
"Yes Gabi," Fleur said as she smiled at Hermione.
"Well I better get back to the castle," Hermione said as she looked at her watch. "Wow, how did it get so late."
"Girl talk will do zat sometimes," Fleur said. "Stay and sleep here. You can sleep in my bed."
"With you?" Hermione asked suddenly nervous.
"Is zere something wrong with zat?" Fleur asked.
"It's just I..I mean except for the night with Harry I've never slept in the same bed with anyone except my parents."
"Well you might want to get used to it, I doubt it will be ze only time we end up in ze same bed," Seeing the look in Hermione's eyes, she rolled her own eyes "I've got to stop talking about sex with you," She said with a smile to let Hermione know it was more of a joke. "If sometime in ze future we are going to be married to ze same man, it is likely we will sleep…and I do mean sleep in ze same bed with 'im at ze same time."
Hermione's mind immediately realized quickly the other implications that sentence carried with it. "What about…"
"Don't even think of it now, we'll figure zat out when it 'appens," Fleur said cutting Hermione off.
"Will you two go to sleep, or I won't let either of you sleep with 'Arry," Gabrielle grumbled.
Hermione smiled at Fleur and then they both looked over at their sleepy bond sister. "Okay, we're going," Hermione replied.
"I weakened one of the steps on the stairs," Fleur said. Then she said over the bond to Harry and her bond sisters, "It was the step right over the cupboard," She saw Harry smile a little knowing he remembered his cousin often waking him by stomping on that step.
"I don't know what to tell you Mr. Dursley," The electrician said. "I've spent two days trying to track down that short and I still can't find it," He took off his hat and scratched his head. "About the only thing I can suggest is a complete home rewiring. I had the office put together the numbers last night," He handed Vernon a sheet of paper.
Vernon looked at the paper and at the number at the bottom. "This...this is outrageous. A bit a wiring and you want this much?"
The electrician shrugged. "Feel free to get a second and third opinion. I doubt you'll come close to that number. I told them give you a twenty percent discount on the wire and other items and subtract my two days' worth of labor I've already put in the job."
"I'll do that. I'm sure I'll find an honest person somewhere in this city."
"Good luck then," The electrician replied. "The quote is good for a week. If we haven't heard from you by then we'll bill these two days out to you."
"BILL ME?" Vernon yelled. "YOU DIDN'T FIX ANYTHING."
Six days later an irritable Vernon Dursley picked up the phone to call the electrician to agree to the quote. He'd called three other electricians. One had dealt with him in the past and hung up immediately, another left after fifteen minutes of Vernon ranting about electricians ripping off their customers. The final one submitted a quote that was more than twice as much as the original bid.
"THERE!" Vernon snarled as he signed the work contract given to him by the electrician. He knew the amount would clean out their savings and most of the money they'd saved for a vacation over the summer. "Now I'm going to have to spend two more weeks with that freak," He thought.
"We'll get right on it gov'ner," The electrician said cheerfully. "We should be finished in a week."
Vernon only nodded. Five minutes later the electrician had departed and Vernon Dursley stomped up the steps. He was half way up them when one of the steps splintered and his leg sunk into the staircase. Coincidentally it was the step right above the cupboard under the stair. The step his son Dudley liked to jump up and down on to wake his cousin in earlier days. "All those years of jumping up and down on it, probably caused it to weaken," Vernon thought and then as the nerves in his leg reported to the proper location in his minuscule brain that his leg was seriously hurt, intense pain cascaded throughout the leg.
"PETUNIA!"
Removing Vernon from the step was much easier thought than done. His weight and no leverage on the steps for his wife to help him, finally forced her to call for an emergency team to pull him loose. They finally freed Vernon but only after cutting away two more steps and giving several suggestions to Vernon that he might consider a diet. They spent several minutes removing splinters and bandaging his leg. Once they were gone, Vernon had to call a carpenter to repair the destroyed steps and check for weaknesses in the others.
As he picked up the phone to make the call he found the line was dead. After his anger and frustration had passed Vernon realized that before he could make that call to the carpenter he would have to replace the phone he just destroyed and the window he had thrown the phone through in his frustration. Not to mention the wiring that pulled out of the wall when he yanked the phone loose.
....
"Who's with Fleur?" Harry thought as he entered the Chamber. "And why is she here?" He'd just left Divinations and was joining Fleur and Hermione to study some. Fleur was currently sitting with her back to him along with another female who had straight brown hair.
"Like it?" Hermione asked.
"Like what and who's with Fleur?" Harry asked.
"I am," The person with the long straight brown hair said out loud as she got up and turned around. Fleur turned as well.
"Hermione?" Harry gulped as he saw who the stranger was. Hermione's hair was perfectly straight. He just stood and stared, unsure what to say.
"Do you like it?" Hermione asked. "Or do you prefer it with curls?" She closed her eyes and her hair glowed and curls now cascaded down the length of her hair.
"But…but…how?" Harry asked. He saw she didn't have her wand.
Hermione walked over to Harry and put her arms around his neck. "It seems I am picking up something of the Veela magic from the bond."
"Veela magic?" Harry looked over at Fleur who smiled and nodded. She closed her eyes and her hair changed to match Hermione's curls. Harry kept glancing between the two ladies, his mouth agape.
Both of them started laughing. "I think we broke him," Hermione said. She caught Harry's lips with her own and gave him a welcoming kiss. "So do you like it this way?"
"I…uh of course…but you're beautiful no matter what your hair looks like," Harry replied still staring wide eyed at her curls.
Fleur had walked over by then and she looked at Hermione. "We do 'ave a good boyfriend. 'E always says ze right things."
"Give him time, I'm sure he'll put his foot in his mouth eventually."
That snapped Harry from his mesmerized stupor and he pulled Hermione closer, catching her a little off guard, "Oh really? Well maybe I'll just have to take the appropriate measures to prevent my being able to do that."
"And what might that be?" Hermione asked from only inches away.
"Oh, something like this," He replied and started demonstrating that if his mouth was covering hers, it would be impossible for a foot to get in there. When the kiss ended, and Hermione was staring unfocused, he continued, "I meant it when I said I think you're beautiful no matter what your hair looks like, but I like the curls. It makes it easier to kiss here," His lips touched lightly on her neck below her ear, "and here," Slightly lower his lips touched. "And especially here," This time right at the spot her neck curved into her shoulder. Hermione's eyes were closed as her entire being was centered on the spots Harry's lips touched. Only his arms holding her kept her legs from buckling.
Up in the second floor transfiguration classroom, Professor McGonagall was concerned for young Miss Delacour.
"Miss Delacour, is there a problem? You seemed distracted," The young witch had seemed to lose her focus for a few seconds.
"Non, My apologies Professor. I just thought of something…pleasant," Gabrielle replied with a blush. Ginny was giving her a strange look.
"Are you suggesting my class is less than pleasant?"
"Non Professor. Eet was a personal thought. May I discuss it after class?"
"Certainly," McGonagall replied, her Scottish burr rolling in the reply.
After class when Ginny offered to stay Gabrielle insisted that she go on alone. "I'll be fine," she told her friend.
"Miss Delacour, I've noticed on several occasions you seemed to lose your concentration in class," McGonagall said to Gabrielle once class ended. "Is there a particular reason why?"
"Professor, zis 'as something to do with 'Arry. Can I ask you to put a privacy charm up please?"
"Of course it would have something to do with Harry Potter," Minerva muttered to herself as she picked up her wand and with a flick the appropriate charm was set. Though no sound could go out, sound could still come in and Gabrielle smiled as she heard several footsteps start immediately moving away from the class. "So what is causing you to lose your concentration?"
Gabrielle blushed as she tried to figure out what to say. After a quick word to her bondmates it was decided to be honest and explain the problem. "Your class is at a time when 'Arry, Fleur and 'Ermione are all out of class," She explained.
"And why is that a problem? Are you saying you would prefer to be with them instead of being in class?"
"Non…oui of course I also want to be with my bondmate…but zat's not ze reason I get distracted," Gabrielle looked around the classroom before explaining. "We share many things over our bond Professor, emotions and especially ze more powerful feelings."
McGonagall suddenly had a feeling of her own, one where she guessed she was going to regret this conversation.
"So when 'arry and Fleur or 'Ermione 'ave a more…more," Gabrielle searched for an appropriate word, "exuberant kiss, I feel it."
McGonagall definitely knew she wished this conversation had never happened. She knew it was going to be difficult for her to concentrate in class the next time she saw the young witch lose focus again. "Yes, well…hmmm…yes well tell Mr. Potter, Ms. Granger and your sister to please refrain from such…such exuberance during this class time if you please."
"Oui, it's done and zey say zey're sorry. 'Ermione is very embarrassed."
Mid April 1995
Homework was piling up as the days led into Easter holidays. Harry was amazed at Hermione as she not only did her work and kept him on track but continued to research what a horcrux was and never relented on her personal vendetta against Rita Skeeter. Being inside his bond mate's mind help him see how focused she could stay on a topic. Fleur was helping her as she could. Especially trying to determine any way Skeeter might be magically listening to conversations. Gabrielle was spending more time with Ginny and Luna who they had started inviting to their study groups when they were in the Library.
"Hi girl," Harry said to the snowy owl that had just landed next to him with a package. "Did you have a good trip to France? What did Mr. Delacour send back?" He untied the package and opened it. There were several Chocolate eggs, two the size of Dragon eggs while another one was much smaller. Each egg had a label attached to it that said who it should go to. Harry instantly recognized the writing.
"Did you stop at the Burrow?" He asked Hedwig, who gave an affectionate response.
Harry lifted out the first dragon-sized egg and saw it was for Ron. He looked down at his former best friend. He'd given up on approaching him again knowing that even if he fixed things up now, he'd only have to deal with it again during the summer. He kept hoping that Ron would come around and see that Gabrielle wasn't doing what he predicted. Currently he could see Ron shoveling mouthfuls of food into his mouth. He turned to Ginny and handed the egg to her.
"Can you give this to Ron?" He asked.
"Sure Harry," She replied.
The other Dragon-sized egg was for him and he set it aside. The final one was smaller than a chicken egg. It was addressed to Hermione. Harry passed it over to her and shrugged when she looked at it and at his.
"Why do you think mine is smaller?"
"She read the article in Witch Weekly about you breaking Harry's heart and now blames you for his current love interest," Ginny replied as she rolled her eyes. "She mentioned it in a letter a few days ago and I've been hesitant to bring it up. I didn't think she would do something like that though," Nodding at the egg in front of Hermione.
Harry immediately started wrapping his egg back up. "No, this is too much. I can't and won't accept this," He said. "She hurt you Hermione, and still hasn't apologized to Gabrielle, but she still sends me this like everything is just fine."
"Eets not a problem 'Arry," Gabrielle said. "Keep ze egg. Eet doesn't bother me."
Harry looked at her and smiled. "It bothers me Angel, and yes it is a problem, but it's her problem not mine. Besides, I think if I send this back to her, it might hopefully make her think about what she's doing."
Hermione quickly pushed her own egg back to Harry. "Then send this one back to her as well."
"I'm sorry that she's now taking it out on you too," Harry said.
"Hopefully she will come around," Hermione replied. "But if not, there's not much we can do."
"I love you," Harry said as he looked at her, his emerald green eyes again mesmerizing her.
Hermione had to turn away before they stared at each other too long but not before she replied, "I love you too."
Harry pulled out a piece of parchment and quickly jotted down a note.
Mrs. Weasley,
Thank you for thinking of Hermione and me on this holiday, but we are both uncomfortable accepting the eggs you sent and are returning them with this note. You an d your family have been wonderful to me over the years and I hope to always remember those thoughts when I think of the Weasley family. Unfortunately until you can accept that I have a relationship with Gabrielle and apologize for the rudeness you showed in your letter and howler, it will always be just that, memories. I am also disappointed that you now are trying to blame Hermione because of the article in the Witch Weekly. The writer of the article was badly misinformed because at no time has Hermione ever broken my heart. Even if the size of the egg you sent Hermione hadn't been an issue, she would still have joined me in this endeavor as she has grown close to Gabrielle and Fleur as well. Unfortunately we have had a falling-out with Ron since he seems to share your views when it concerns my girlfriend's heritage.
Please reconsider your attitude toward Gabrielle and Veelas in general. Only an apology will allow me to look upon you as family as I once did.
Harry
He sat down his quill and then remembered something. He picked back up his quill and added.
PS. Please do not send another Howler. It will be destroyed before it has a chance to speak.
"I didn't want to single out our relationship with Ginny, Fred and George and cause their mother to be angry with them if she has issues with my response," Harry said as he showed the letter to Hermione who agreed with the content. Harry put it in with the eggs being returned and turned to his owl.
"Can you make it back to the Burrow, or do you need a rest?"
Hedwig gave him a look of disgust and promptly stuck her foot out.
"Rest at the Burrow when you get there. I'm sure Mrs. Weasley will take care of you," Harry said stroking the snowy owl and then fed her a couple pieces of bacon. "We'll see you when you get back."
"I'm sorry 'Arry," Gabrielle said.
Harry could feel the distress she was feeling and he put his arm around her and gave her a small kiss. "Don't be. You, my angel, are not the cause of this problem."
"Thank you," She replied. "I just wished it wasn't a problem."
"So do I," Harry replied. "The Weasleys have been like my family and I would like nothing more than for them to welcome you like your family welcomed me. But you," Harry looked from Gabrielle to Fleur, "and you are my family, and no one will insult either of you."
All of Harry's bond mates could feel the protectiveness and caring radiating from Harry. Fleur found herself smiling as she tried not to think about what she also felt in the bond.
"What's wrong Hedwig?" Molly asked when the snowy owl flew back into the kitchen with the same package she'd sent attached to her leg. "Why'd you come back?"
Hedwig held out her leg.
"Was it too heavy?" Molly asked as she untied the package. "You've never had trouble before."
Hedwig's response was less than flattering.
Mrs. Weasley opened the packaged and noticed one of the larger eggs was missing. Confused, she pulled out the note that was sticking up between the two remaining eggs and read it and then re-read it several more times. She thought of the eleven year old Harry Potter looking for the magical platform to get on the Hogwarts Express.
"Doesn't he understand that I know what's best for him?" She thought. "The poor child is only fourteen and obviously confused," Molly kept thinking about the letter as she fixed herself a lunch. Finally sitting back down and reading the letter one more time as she ate, she thought, "I'll wait until this summer when he's here at the Burrow. Once he's away from that girl for a while, I'm sure he'll realize that Ginny or Hermione would be a much better choice for him."