Pansy stayed with them for a few more weeks, before reluctantly returning to the Slytherin dorms. She would have liked to stay longer, yet she felt as if she was interfering in the Potter family life. She wouldn't have minded it before, but after being so generously helped, it was just wrong, no matter how she looked at it. Besides, Millicent was nagging her to return. The big girl felt lost without Pansy, despite being able to cope with everything just as well as her dorm mate.
The Potters didn't mind too much. Most still remembered how Pansy had used to be, not fully believing she had changed. Only Daphne was more concerned. Her best friend, Tracey, had left Hogwarts after fourth year, when her parents decided that Britain was no longer safe, even though the Dark Lord had been proven dead. Pansy, despite being much less of a close friend, helped Daphne feel still connected with her house.
Yet Pansy didn't forget the Potters. Although sleeping back at the Slytherin dorms, she liked to join the Potters for doing homework once or twice a week. She also joined them at meals, usually having dinner with them, almost every day. At first, Harry thought it was just so she could still feel protected. He was oblivious to the real reason.
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
Harry finished his lessons early. Only Fleur was already in their apartment, as his other wives were still busy with school duties. Fleur hugged him and kissed him briefly. They sat on the sofa and Harry looked pensive.
"What's on your mind?" Fleur asked him.
Harry sighed. "I'm not sure. It's just... Well, I'm married to six wives. This is fantastic right now and I enjoy every moment with all of you. Yet I know things are bound to change. In a few years, at least some of you will get pregnant and have children. How will I cope with this? Will I be a good father? You know I don't have any father figure to take as an example."
Fleur wanted to answer, yet Harry continued, not noticing her expression. "I also dread the moment that I may not be able to satisfy you all. I've read that men don't usually have the same stamina as teens. What will happen to our relations then? Will you all still love me? I know I love you all. It would hurt me if any of my wives stopped loving me..."
Fleur wouldn't let this continue. In a tone that reminded Harry of Hermione she started speaking. "Harry James Potter, you're NOT going to dwell on this!"
She smiled as he looked at her with surprise and took both his hands in hers. "Harry, you should enjoy your life at any age. Right now both you and your wives are young, horny and full of energy. Enjoy it! Don't worry about what would happen in ten or fifty years. You will change, and so will others. Just as your stamina may lessen when you mature, their stamina will also lessen, and having children to care for or businesses to handle or any other responsibility may also affect their desires. I know that I am less concerned with sex now, being occupied as a teacher, than at the time we joined, when it used to be my main preoccupation. I still like it very much, but I may not always be in the right mood or have energy left for that, and I'm a Veela. Other women may be even more affected, so I'm quite sure you'll have no problem keeping us all satisfied. Actually, I hope you won't feel neglected, once each of us is busy with real life."
Harry seemed to want to say something. Fleur put her finger on his lips to stop him. He smiled and kissed the finger. She smiled back before continuing. "As for being a father – I'm not worried about it. You can consult with my father or Hermione's or any other father-in-law that you have, They will be glad to share their experiences as fathers. Besides, I've seen the way you treat younger children. I'm sure you'll be a great father."
Harry wasn't really convinced. Despite her sound arguments, he still felt some apprehension and doubt, although not as strongly as before. Maybe things would turn out OK; maybe his wives would never tire of him or be disappointed by him; maybe he would be a good father. He really hoped Fleur was right.
Still, there was something else bothering him. "Do you think I'll have more wives? I mean, I would have been happy with only Hermione, before I married you, yet now I have six wives and I'm not sure there won't be more. I love them all, but I don't want to spread it too thin."
Fleur smiled reassuringly at him. "You are a man full of love, Harry. I know of nobody as loving as you. Maybe this is why your magic keeps choosing more wives for you, so your love would not overwhelm them. I'm sure you will be able to cope with as many wives as you'll get. I'm also sure that your magic will not allow you to marry anybody inappropriate for whatever reason. All your wives love you dearly, and if your magic chooses additional ones, I'm sure they will love you just the same."
"But how will we all cope? Even now we have a way too crowded bed. Seven people in one bed is too much when a good night's sleep is desired, although we all enjoy it greatly before falling asleep. Knees and elbows tend to find their way where it hurts; one or more of us may snore; It's just too many!"
Fleur gave it a thought. "Maybe we shouldn't all sleep together every night. I'm sure you want Hermione always with you." Harry nodded silently. "Still, the rest may sleep separately, spending only one or two nights each week in bed with you. That way you may give each more individual attention which we sometimes lack."
Harry contemplated the idea. "Well, I love falling asleep with you all around me and waking up to the sight of all of you spread around me. That's something I may miss if we change our sleeping arrangements, but if that may help us in the long run..." He still looked undecided.
"Talk with Hermione about this. I know you cherish her opinion the most. Besides, this decision is not too urgent. As long as we're all comfortable with this, we may continue sleeping all together. Even now, when one of us has her period, she prefers to sleep alone for a few days. It may just gradually turn into each having her own room, joining in your and Hermione's bed only once or twice a week."
Harry looked relived. 'Well, maybe that's the best way – letting the change happen naturally, without any explicit decision,' he thought.
Fleur didn't expect it, but Harry suddenly engulfed her in a big hug and kissed her happily. "Thank you, my beloved flower, for helping me see the light. I'm so glad you came into my life!"
She couldn't stay indifferent to the hug, the kiss and especially his words. She reacted in the most natural way for a Veela, by kissing him back and vanishing their clothes, letting them both enjoy each other fully and intimately. She just couldn't have enough of him, despite what she had said just minutes earlier, and Harry felt like he had finally given her the love she deserved all along.
By the time his other wives came back, both looked happy and sated and utterly naked. They all smiled understandingly. Each of them longed for some alone time with Harry and they could all sympathize with Fleur for having taken her chance.
It was much later, just before falling asleep, that Harry thought there was something more to Fleur's behavior. She had been a bit moody lately and he had overheard her talking with Hermione, mentioning contraceptives and pregnancies. Was she contemplating becoming a mother?
He was too tired to really think about it, after having made love to all his wives. He would think about it some other time.
\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/
"May I join you for the weekend?" Pansy asked them a few days later. "Millicent needs to go home for the weekend, as her mother is very ill. I don't like staying alone in our dorm."
Daphne looked at Harry and Hermione. They didn't seem to mind. "You may stay with us if you wish," she told Pansy.
Although she had been spending time at the Potter apartment for quite a while by now, Pansy felt some excitement at staying there for the night as well. It would be different than the first time, when she was brought in as a rape victim, of that she was sure. She wasn't really sure what she was expecting though. Would she like to stay there as a visitor only? Would she like to be closer? How close, really?
Daphne was also thinking about the same questions, only she had a few others to share her concerns with. "Shouldn't we act normally now, getting nude as soon as we're home, and let Pansy act as she finds appropriate? I don't want her presence to make this weekend more stressful or less enjoyable."
Hermione wasn't sure. "How do you think she may react to our nudity, especially to Harry's?"
Daphne wasn't sure about this. It was Luna who piped in. "Oh, I'm sure Pansy will love it. She may even want to join us in bed, though. Should we allow it?"
Hermione frowned, along with Ginny. It was one thing to help a rape victim. It was very different to let in a competitor for your husband's love. "Why would she want to join us?" she asked.
"A man who can keep six wives happy is sure to attract her attention," Luna said as if reading from a book. "Besides, the nargles tell me she loves Harry, only she doesn't know it yet, and we do need a Lady Slytherin, you know."
Hermione grimaced at the idea, yet if Harry needed another wife... "Can Harry love her?" she wondered.
Luna smiled. "If she really repents her previous behavior, then Harry will be able to love her."
Harry was also reluctant, yet he preferred to act naturally, which now meant being nude most of the time, even with Pansy present. "Just make her aware of our nudity before she comes, so she will be able to change her mind if she doesn't feel comfortable with it," he told Daphne.
Pansy didn't really mind. While she hadn't practiced nudism anywhere, she'd already seen many boys, even a few men, nude, and she'd also been seen by many, and much more than seen. She felt quite confident about her looks as well. She had a few questions, though. "What happens if Harry gets.. excited? Does he choose someone or is Lady Potter assigning one to handle it?"
Daphne smiled. "Harry loves to see us all naked and he doesn't get too excited about it, yet he isn't too shy to ask any of us to join him in bed. Would you like to be with him?"
The direct question was very non-Slytherin, making Pansy wince, yet she answered truly, "I'd love to, if you all agree. Had I not been forced to be nasty to him since first year, I would have liked to be his friend, or even more than a friend."
Daphne smiled internally, yet didn't show it. "I'm sure Hermione would agree, but Ginny may frown upon the idea, yet she wouldn't oppose if the others agree."
"How can I convince her?"
"I'm not sure. Just be nice to her as you've been since we found you in that room."
Pansy didn't try to be especially nice, though. She wanted to make a truthful impression, to be judged for her own qualities, unlike the time she acted as dictated by others. She joined the family, and once they settled in, as they all started to undress, Pansy removed her clothes just like the others. Although not as shapely as Daphne, she felt quite confident in her looks and was eager to see Harry without clothes. Neither was disappointed.