Playing With a Veela
Fleur followed Red without thinking too much, crossing the castle grounds while the small dragon ran ahead of her, the pendant swinging from his mouth.
"Red, wait!" she called, picking up her pace.
The dragon didn't stop. Red only listened to a very small group of people, and even for most of them, controlling him wasn't easy at all. He was a chaotic dragon.
Even so, Fleur noticed something.
Every now and then, Red slowed down… as if he were playing with her. He even turned back at times, giving her a look that felt almost mocking… if that could even be called that.
That made her frown slightly.
But before she could think too much about it, Red finally stopped.
Near someone.
Someone standing there, quietly… as if he had been waiting, looking up at the stars.
When Fleur noticed that, she stopped abruptly.
And then she saw him.
Well…
not so young anymore.
A familiar figure turned slightly, crouching just enough to take the pendant from Red's mouth, while the dumb dragon dropped onto his back, belly exposed, squirming on the ground as if asking for a reward.
The young man let out a faint smile as he gave the dragon a few soft scratches, before turning to look at Fleur.
The moment their eyes met—
Fleur froze.
Of course she knew that person.
And that smile…
that teasing smile that seemed to enjoy bothering her.
"You're late," Harry said calmly, standing up as he made a small gesture for Red to get up. The dragon simply rolled over and sat where he was, like a good boy, while Harry walked toward Fleur with a faint smile.
Fleur, who had already stopped completely, stared at him…
realizing she had walked straight into that villain's trap.
Then she looked away.
"Give it back," she said, extending her hand toward him, refusing to meet his eyes.
Harry looked at the pendant in silence, slowly turning it between his fingers.
"Oh… looks like someone lost her manners… after someone kindly found a lost item," he said with a faint smile, almost mocking.
Fleur frowned.
"I didn't—"
She stopped.
Because he was looking at her.
Directly.
Without looking away.
Those green eyes held a faint glow in the darkness of the night.
"…just give it back… please," she said at last, a little softer than before.
Harry took a step toward her.
Fleur, in response, took a small step back…
but that only made Harry move faster.
Closing the distance so easily that she didn't have time to move away before he was already right in front of her.
Face to face.
Fleur hadn't realized how much Harry had grown since the first time she met him, when he barely looked older than a child.
But now he was there.
The same height as her…
even if he was still younger.
That thought passed through her mind, and something flickered in her eyes for a moment before her expression forced itself to calm… as if she had just understood something.
Something Harry noticed immediately.
"As my mother said… women are so troublesome," Harry murmured, almost inaudible, something Fleur didn't catch, as he let out a quiet sigh before that amused smile returned.
"Harry, you should stop. This isn't—"
"You said that when I grew a little older, you'd try to charm me… and show me what a half-Veela could do before leaving me sighing over you," Harry cut her off before she could say exactly what he already knew she was thinking. "But now I'm wondering who fell first… to the point where your mind is a mess of useless thoughts."
He took another step forward, his smile still there… but not fully reaching his eyes, bringing his face closer to hers.
She tried to step back.
She couldn't.
A hand on her waist stopped her.
Fleur lowered her gaze for a moment, noticing Harry's hand, then looked back up at him, annoyed at being held like that.
But when she raised her eyes again—
They were already centimeters apart.
Too close.
Close enough that stepping back stopped being an option…
without either of them really wanting to.
To the point where Harry's breath felt too close.
That was enough to make her freeze.
Her lips parted, then closed again, like a fish out of water.
"Y-you… I didn't fall for you," she said quickly, barely managing to finish the sentence as her face turned completely red.
And hearing the proud words of the half-Veela even in that state—
Harry couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Yeah? Keep saying it… maybe at some point you'll convince yourself," he said, clearly enjoying seeing her like that… especially noticing that she hadn't done a single thing to push him away, even when she could've easily removed his hand from her waist.
Meanwhile, Red, still sitting where he was, looked toward his master, tilting his head slightly… as if trying to understand that strange human ritual, watching the scene with interest.
Suddenly, Harry let go of Fleur's waist.
Then he raised both hands, gently bringing them up to her neck.
Fleur, seeing that, seemed to catch her breath and closed her eyes for a moment.
She felt Harry's fingers brush softly against the back of her neck… just for an instant.
It made her shiver slightly.
…and then the touch was gone.
As easily as it had come.
Still, she kept her eyes closed for a few seconds more… before slowly opening one, realizing nothing else was happening.
And then she saw it.
Harry was standing right in front of her…
but already taking a step back.
Looking at her with a smile.
Amused.
Arrogant.
"You should hide that disappointed look better… if you want to keep lying to yourself about not falling," Harry said, watching her with clear enjoyment.
"You…!" A surge of anger filled her chest as she realized that shameless villain was still mocking her. Her fists clenched tightly as she stomped the ground.
But before she could say anything—
Harry moved again.
Fast.
He stepped forward and grabbed both of Fleur's cheeks, gently pulling her face closer to his.
Under the moonlight.
Bright.
Clear.
Fleur's eyes snapped open, a faint shine in them, as their lips drew closer—
close enough to erase any distance between them.
But before they could even touch—
Red roared.
The sound broke through the moment instantly.
Harry stopped.
Turned his head.
Their lips brushed.
Just barely.
He didn't even notice.
His gaze was already fixed on the forest.
"Grrrr…"
Red stood up, alert, staring into the darkness.
Annoyance crossed Harry's face, his eyes turning red for a brief instant, glowing with chaotic energy.
Not because of danger.
Because of the interruption.
He released Fleur's face and looked toward the same point as Red.
Fleur, on the other hand, snapped back to herself and stepped away quickly, turning toward the forest as well.
"Who's there?" Harry said, his tone sharp. Irritated.
He raised both hands and spread them slightly, as if pulling something apart.
The red chaos energy moved under his control.
The bushes.
The trees.
They split apart.
Forced aside, opening a path through the forest.
And then—
someone appeared.
A figure, clothes torn, covered in cuts from the branches, stumbling forward as soon as he saw an opening, his whole body trembling.
As soon as he stepped into the moonlight—
Harry recognized him.
"Crouch?" he said, frowning slightly, confused.
The man looked completely disoriented, his eyes wide, filled with fear as he looked around.
"Dumbledore… where's Dumbledore? Or Black? Someone… I… help… someone… Dumbledore…" Crouch repeated, his voice broken, lost.
His gaze locked onto Harry.
Recognition flickered.
He rushed forward, trying to grab him by the shoulders—
But Harry stepped back.
Annoyed.
"Help… I did it wrong…" Crouch muttered, nearly collapsing when he missed him, but grabbing onto Harry's clothes desperately. "I did it… the monster didn't… no… they're after me… where…? Where…? Where is Dumbledore?"
Harry stared at him, frowning.
Something wasn't right.
Then—
he felt it.
Something.
He looked up—
just in time to see a volley of spells flying straight at him.
Even he hadn't expected it.