Sirius and Harry looked at each other then at Beth. Awkward didn't begin to cover it. "You know about wizards are you a witch?" Sirius ventured quietly.
"No I'm a squib. What a two wizards doing at a non-magical resort?"
"Remember when I mentioned Harry's condition what I didn't mention was it's a spell and we live as muggles so his condition doesn't kill him."
"Oh."
"Do you not like us anymore Beth?"
Beth looked down into the anxious emerald eyes, and considered the question. They were the same people they had been that morning. They hadn't told her before, but with the International Statute of Secrecy it wasn't something you could just announce. They hadn't known she knew about magic and Harry's question certainly reflected that he knew the attitude that was prevalent among squibs. That, that feeling was usually mutual wasn't part of the question. Beth took a deep breath "I still like you and I understand why you didn't tell me." Beth took a deep breath and smiled as both Harry and Sirius relaxed. "After all you're the same people you were this morning aren't you?"
The vacation continued in the same bent for another week, with a slight change. Beth took Sirius' words about self defense to heart and started to join them for their morning spar. Beth was amused to see Harry taking the lead as her instructor. Her taught her basic stances and how to fall without getting hurt before teaching her some basic punches, kicks, and throws. It fascinated her when he would do katas with his eskrima sticks,or a staff or two sai, because it was such a contrast to the sweet gentle boy he generally seemed.
Harry had lost his surfboard to the shark attack, it had washed into shore in pieces showing a bite that surely would have killed Harry had he stayed on the board. Harry had begged to go into the nearby city to see about getting a new surfboard but Sirius had put it off. His therapy wasn't going as well as he wanted and he had caught a cold; but with the potions he was taking he couldn't take Pepper Up to get rid of it. Beth took pity on Sirius and took Harry for a shopping trip. Harry was so happy to be going with her, he didn't object at all to trailing after her, much to her amusement. He seemed as excited as she was to see what the shops had to offer and he joined her in buying gifts for his friends back home.
They were window shopping while they waited for a photo shop to develop their film when they walked past a dress shop that sold evening gowns and wedding dresses. Harry stopped. He pointed to the dress hanging in the window, "You should try that on."
"What?"
"You should try that on."
Beth looked at the gown it was a gorgeous silk gown with an empire waist and pearl and crystal beading on the bodice. It was a lime green but had an almost gold iridescent quality. She couldn't resist. "Alright." They went in the shop and she put it on. The shop owner had to supply her with a strapless bra and an appropriate petticoat. But aside from being a little loose in the bust the dress looked absolutely amazing on her. She moved out so she could look at it in a mirror and so Harry could see her.
"You look amazing Beth." Harry said with a tone of wonder in his voice.
"I do, don't I." She looked in the mirror. "Harry find the tag. If it's less than $1800 I think I'll get it."
Harry found the tag it read $2500. "It's $2500."
"Pity." Beth longingly stroked the dresses skirt. "Oh well." She headed back to the dressing room.
Harry made up his mind in that instant. Sirius had long ago supplied him with a debit card he seldom brought it out of his wallet but he decided Beth deserved that dress. He went to the counter. "Excuse me, I want to purchase that dress for my friend and all the underclothes to go with it." He noticed in the display case a tiara that looked like a delicate wreath of flowers made of gold, pearls and crystals, there was also a bunch of small claw clasp flower clips that seemed to match. "Also that tiara and twenty of those clips."
The shopkeeper gave him a disbelieving look; so he whipped out his wallet and his platinum debit card. The shopkeeper's eyebrows rose to her hairline but she quickly tallied the requested items and ran the card. Harry input his pin, keeping one eye peeled for Beth. The shop owner was even more shocked when the transaction went through. Harry said "I want you to deliver everything to Palau Pacific Resort Room 215." He gave the shop keeper $30 to comply with his wishes.
Harry had a plan. He was certain that Sirius was more interested in Beth than any woman he had ever met. If Sirius saw her in that dress he would never let Beth go; Harry was sure of that. The Resort had a special romantic dinner on the beach he'd seen it advertised in the lobby. He would book that dinner for the two of them and claim to be fighting a cold that would make the two of them be alone together and then…
Beth came out of the dressing room once again in her shorts and camp shirt. They left and headed back to the photo shop. The last stop of the day was the surf shop. Harry picked out a new board. It was bigger than his old one but he figured he'd grow into it. The surf shops owner was a little surprised as was Beth, when Harry once again pulled out his debit card to pay for the new surfboard.
Sirius was sleeping and his fever had broken when they returned to the resort. Harry told Beth,"Thanks for taking me shopping Beth. Sirius and I are going to watch a movie tonight and keep it low key and have room service deliver want to join us?"
"Not tonight Harry. I think Sirius would prefer to be miserable in private."
Later after dinner when Sirius fell asleep Harry called the concierge desk.
"Hello, this is Harry Potter in 215, I wanted to inquire about the King and Queen Dinner."
"Yes Mr. Potter."
"How far in advance do you need to make a reservation?"
"Two days. Would you like to make a reservation?"
"Yes please. In two days."
"Alright a reservation in the name of Potter.."
"Black."
"Alright. A reservation in the name of Black in two days. You're in luck no one else has made a reservation for that evening."