The Power He Knows Not Chapter 16 (Patreon)

Content Warnings: Petting, Semi-Public, Teasing.

The Astronomy Tower:

“Do you think Gabrielle Delacour is pretty?” Daphne asked, passing the newly opened bottle of firewhiskey to Hermione before doubling over with a coughing fit as the big gulp of fiery liquid that she’d drunk made its way down her throat.

Tracey leaned over her best friend and began to massage her back. “Before you answer that question, Potter, I would like to point out that there’s only one right answer here. And by that I mean there’s only one answer that doesn’t get you smothered in your sleep,” she cackled, delighted that the conversation during their impromptu (and highly illegal) midnight picnic in the Astronomy Tower was finally turning to interesting topics.

“Harry can find people pretty. That doesn’t really mean anything in and of itself,” Padma pointed out, declining the offer of firewhiskey. She was nursing a bottle of butterbeer in her hands. The fact that Susan and Hannah had convinced her to accompany them had been a minor miracle in and of itself. Her sister was the adventurous one, not her.

“Right!” Harry jumped on the lifeline the shy Ravenclaw threw his way. “For example, I find Padma pretty.”

Padma blushed and ducked her head, hiding her cheeks behind her sleek black hair.

“Yes, but you’re not practicing a highly sensual dance with Padma every day, are you, dear?” Susan asked in an amused voice.

“You told me it was alright if I opened the Yule Ball with Gabrielle. Both of you did. It’s not like I chose the song for the opening dance,” Harry grumbled in an aggrieved tone. He was feeling very attacked for something his girlfriends had enthusiastically given their blessings to.

“I don’t think that permission extends to you eye fucking our Veela friend every time the two of you dance together,” Hermione pointed out with a grin.

Harry glared at her. “Can I have my old, uptight, rule-obsessed best friend back, please? I’m not sure I like this version.” He grabbed the bottle from her and took a swig to fortify his nerves. “And I don’t eye fuck Gabrielle every time we dance,” he muttered.

“Please. I attended just ONE-” Hermione held up her index finger. “One of your dance sessions and it was a minor miracle the two of you didn’t have sex right on the dance floor. And that was with Susan and me present! I can’t even imagine what the tension must be like when you and Gabrielle dance alone.”

“It’s not that bad,” Harry lied.

“Let’s make this easy,” Daphne said with a wicked grin. Her cheeks were warm and light pink, her inhibitions lowered by the special kind of courage that only alcohol could provide. “I think everyone in attendance knows Susie has a thing for watching Harry with other girls-”

“I did not. Are all Hufflepuffs secretly kinky or do the rest of us just don’t notice because of their cinnamon roll personalities? I mean, look at Abbot going to town on poor Longbottom,” Tracey muttered, nodding at the couple who had retreated to a distant corner of the classroom.

Hannah was now on Neville’s lap and snogging him, and Harry was pretty certain his friend was close to passing out from a mixture of sheer disbelief and happiness.

“S-should we tell them their seven minutes are up?” Padma asked.

“I say we wait. I want to see how long it takes them to realize it,” Tracey replied. She snatched the bottle from Harry and drained it before placing it in the middle of their circle. She had no idea where the original bottle of firewhiskey they had emptied for spin the bottle had gone, and she could not be arsed to care.

“ANYWAYS,” Daphne interjected. “As I was saying, Susan likes to see her soulmate with other women. What if I gave you my blessing Harry?” she teased, her stormy gray eyes sparkling mischievously.

“This feels like a trap,” Harry said nervously.

“You think, Potter?” Tracey rolled her eyes and spun the bottle, groaning when it stopped with the base facing Daphne and the head towards Harry. “Well, that’s no fun. I’m tired of seeing these two kiss. It’s bloody constant.”

“How about a different game,” Daphne suggested with a wicked grin. “Truth or Dare, dearest?”

“You take truth and you’re screwed, buddy.”

Harry turned to Tracey with a look that clearly said ‘I know.’ before turning to his girlfriend. “Dare.”

“I dare you to sneak into the Beauxbatons carriage and kiss Gabrielle,” Daphne said, winking at Susan. “I will accept any item of clothing and a mark of her lips on your chest or stomach as proof.”

“Daphne,” Harry squeaked.

“It’s either that or you have to wake Snape up and serenade him with a long song,” Daphne murmured, casually pulling her wand out of the back pocket of her jeans. She wondered why Harry was so consistently surprised by her actions. Ever since their day together in that excellent and well-supplied room, she and her daddy had fallen into a predictable (and very pleasurable) pattern. She acted outrageously and he punished her. Severely.

She wondered if her antics this time around would be considered bad enough to warrant a belting. It had been a week since her last one and her bum yearned for his attention.

“Is there a third option?”

“Absolutely,” Daphne replied, lazily twirling her wand. “I learnt this new spell for our dear friend Malfoy. It’s supposed to give the person boils on the rim of their ass. I need a practice buddy, Harry.”

Harry groaned and gave up. Daphne didn’t make idle threats and it wasn’t like he could do anything about his dissolute brat with all their friends around.

He locked eyes with her, having a silent conversation:

You realize you’re not going to be able to sit for a week once I’m through with you?

I look forward to it. It’s been a week since my last spanking.

Why are you doing this?

You need to get it out of your system. NOW GO!

Harry got up with a huff, glaring at all of them as he left.

“What just happened?” Tracey asked, leaning on her best friend’s shoulder.

Susan joined from the other side and Daphne smiled. She stretched out her arms and wrapped it around their shoulders, drawing them closer.

“Susan and I had a chat yesterday. It’s been nearly two weeks since they’ve started dancing together and both of them need to get this out of their system before they spontaneously combust or worse, make a fool of themselves at the dance. His behavior reflects on me, you know?”

“What if his feelings for her are deeper than a desire for a quick snog?”

Daphne shrugged in response to Hermione’s question. “Neither Susan nor I mind. Susan is Harry’s soulmate and I have… my own assurances.” Daphne glanced down at the initials of her Daddy that were engraved on the skin of her breast. Only Susan and Tracey knew about its existence and given the rampant lies Skeeter was printing about every member of their group nearly every day, she planned to keep it that way for as long as possible.

“The Daphne from a year ago would have never gone for this.”

“The Daphne from a year ago didn’t know Harry Potter. The real Harry Potter,” Daphne murmured. She had seen the festering darkness within her lover. She had seen what the suppression of all desire and emotions had done to him.

And she had promised to help free him from that life.

“Look, are we playing Spin The Bottle or not till Harry gets back? Because I really want to see Padma and Daph kiss,” Susan interjected to save Daphne, discreetly squeezing her hand.

Daphne gave her lover a thankful look, glad that she had saved her from having to explain what she knew about Harry’s hidden side. How could she explain something like that when she didn’t completely understand it in the first place?

“W-why?”

“Because it’s high time you had your first kiss, Padma.”

“You’ve never kissed anyone?” Hermione asked, her eyes wide.

“Granger, you really can’t be the one to ask that question, especially in that tone. Have you kissed someone?” Daphne raised an eyebrow in challenge.

“I will have you know… yes,” Hermione replied haughtily.

“Is this person… real?” Daphne asked, her lips twitching.

“They very much are. They’re actually in this castle right now and are so smart, talented, and resourceful…” Hermione murmured with a glassy look, being as vague as she could be.

“Someone go get a towel, Granger is drooling,” Tracey teased.

Hermione shut her mouth and glared at Tracey.

“Uhm, guys?” Neville called out, his voice hoarse.

“Yeah, Longbottom?”

“Can we get seven more minutes?”

All the remaining girls exchanged amused glances before devolving into a fit of drunken giggles.

                                                                ---

The Beauxbatons Carriage:

Harry ensured the invisibility cloak was wrapped tightly around his body and covered everything before he steeled his nerves and rapped his knuckles against the shut door of the carriage.

He stepped behind and waited for someone to answer the door.

“Shit,” he whispered under his breath when none other than Madame Maxime opened the door.

He set the fear of being caught by the stern headmistress aside, deciding to take advantage of the space that her tall form left. He hunched over and held the cloak tightly around himself, gently squeezing inside the carriage.

Much like the tent they had rented for the World Cup, the carriage was much bigger on the inside, with Harry stepping into what appeared to be a lavish common room. He decided not to tarry when he heard the door slam shut behind him and hurried over to the door helpfully labeled ‘Dortoirs’ in neat, cursive French.

He pulled open the door after making sure Madame Maxime wasn’t looking in his direction, thanking his lucky stars that the time spent with Gabrielle had given him a rudimentary grasp of her language.

Dortoirs had to mean dormitories, and true to form he stepped into a long, heavily-carpeted hallway with doors set on either side.

“They get individual rooms!?” Harry whispered to himself as he leaned closer to a shut door, studying the nameplate on it. “Well, that certainly makes my life easier.”

He walked down the hallway reading the nameplates, a quiet sigh of relief escaping his lips when he finally located the door with the plate that said ‘Delacour’.

He quietly knocked on the door, absentmindedly pulling the cloak away from his body to ensure he didn’t startle Gabrielle.

“’arry Potter. On my doorstep in the middle of the night,” Fleur murmured with an amused grin, slowly rubbing the sleep out of her eyes.

Harry’s eyes widened at the sight of the champion from Beauxbatons. She was every bit as beautiful as her sister, but while Gabrielle preferred quiet, understated beauty, Fleur's go to move seemed to be In-Your-Face sexy.

Shit. There’s two Delacours, remember, idiot? Apologize and leave before she gets you expelled.

His tongue however, seemed to be in no mood to cooperate. “You sleep in lingerie?” Harry asked, unable to pull his eyes away from the sheer negligee the tall blonde wore.

“I do when I have company over,” Fleur replied with an amused chuckle.

“Oh, uhm… that’s very flattering, but I’m actually uhm… I’m sorry, I didn’t come over for-”

Fleur laughed, then leaned over to kiss Harry’s cheek. “You are so sweet, mon cheri. I can see why my sister is infatuated with you. My guest is already in my room. The door you want is the one next to mine,” she whispered, her eyes twinkling with mirth.

Harry craned his neck over to look at the door in question, his heart hammering in his chest. ‘Delacour’.

Right. I’m such an idiot.

He gulped and pulled his reluctant body away from Fleur, walking to the door in a daze.

“Oh, and Harry?”

“Huh?” Harry turned to look at Fleur.

“If you hurt my sister, I’ll castrate you with fire,” Fleur warned with a cheerful smile before slamming her door shut.

Harry gulped.

Why is every blonde in my life so bloody intense? he thought, quietly knocking on Gabrielle’s door. He didn’t have to wait long until she opened it, the girl jumping back in surprise at the sight of her expected visitor.

“H-harry?” Gabrielle hissed, quickly running a hand through her messy hair to tame her platinum locks. “What’re you… doing here?”

“Can I come in? I can’t get caught out here,” Harry whispered.

Gabrielle nodded and stepped aside to let him slip in before shutting the door behind him. She was dressed much more conservatively than her sister, having opted for adorable and comfortable unicorn-patterned flannel pajamas and a simple white shirt.

“You have a nice room. It’s much more cozy than ours,” Harry murmured, nervously running a hand through his hair. He had no idea what else to say.

How did one even ask for a kiss?

It wasn’t like he had any experience in the area. His relationships with Susan and Daphne had simply… happened.

“Thank you. Sometimes I wish we never go back to Beauxbatons. I do not want to give this up and go back to sharing a dormitory with two other girls.”

“We have five people in one dormitory.”

“Five boys in one room?” Gabrielle asked, hopping on top of the large desk that was set against one of the walls of the bedroom. She idly swung her legs, looking at Harry with a small smile. “Then you will forgive me Harry, but I will not return the favor and visit you in your dormitory.”

“It’s not that bad,” Harry laughed, marveling at how easily she could put him at ease. In her presence all his fears and worries melted away within seconds, and he suddenly felt more than capable of asking his fair lady for a kiss.

She also makes me act like a medieval knight in my head, he thought with an amused snort.

“Is it not?”

“I mean, as long as you avoid Ron and Seamus’ beds, you should be fine.”

“Your friend asked my sister to the Yule Ball today. It was a… disaster,” Gabrielle murmured, picking up her wand from the desk and summoning a comfortable stool from another corner of the room for Harry.

“Ron?”

Gabrielle nodded. “Oui. He did it in the Great Hall. My sister was so embarrassed. She didn’t know what to say so she just left.”

“And Ron?”

“He was embarrassed too, but the way he did it was not right so I do not feel sorry for him.” Gabrielle shrugged.

“I’d say I’ll talk to him, but we’re not exactly on speaking terms right now.”

“That’s okay, Harry. My sister is a big girl. She can take care of herself.”

“She doesn’t need fake dates to protect her during the Big Bad Ball?” Harry teased.

Gabrielle scowled. “If you remember Monsieur Potter, you needed one just as much as I did.”

“Whatever helps you sleep at night, princess.” Harry winked.

Gabrielle pouted and crossed her arms over her chest. “Are you here just to tease me? Do you not do enough of that during our lessons together?”

“Oh no, I’m here because your sister said you were uh-” Harry made a show of thinking, every second he spent in her presence increasing his confidence and lowering his inhibitions. If Daphne could take away his shame, Gabrielle seemed to have the power to fill him with courage. As for Susan… well, his soulmate was home and hearth. She was comfort and a warm sunny day.

He wondered why each of the girls had such a different and profound effect on him.

“Harry?”

“Hmm?” Harry shook himself free of his thoughts, grinning at the tiny blonde seated atop the table. “Right. I’m here because your sister told me you were infatuated with me.”

“Merde!” Gabrielle swore, her face immediately turning a dark shade of red. “I told her that in confidence! She was supposed to keep it a secret.” She hopped off the table and marched towards the door.

Harry stretched out an arm and she collided into it with a quiet ‘oof’. He didn’t hesitate, gently wrapping his hand around her side and pulling her into his lap.

“H-harry?” Gabrielle squeaked, her eyes wide.

“Don’t be mad at her. I’m glad she did,” Harry whispered. “Now I don’t feel awkward telling you what I need to say.”

“What is it that you need to say?” Gabrielle whispered, her breathing growing ragged. The outline of her small, firm breasts were clearly visible against the thin white shirt, the sweetly curved mounds quivering with every shallow breath.

“Well, we were fooling around in the Astronomy Tower-”

“We?”

“Me and some friends. Anyways, we were playing Truth or Dare, and Daphne dared me to man up and go kiss you,” Harry murmured, his fingers twitching with a suppressed desire to run through her hair.

“She wants you to kiss me?”

“I think it’s fair to assume all our friends and family want us to kiss at this point. It’s not nice to deny their expectations,” Harry teased.

“Do you want to kiss me?”

Harry took a minute to mull over her question, trying to find the perfect words to express the depth of his desire for the girl.

“Gabrielle,” he whispered, his voice hoarse. “I’m afraid I want to do so much more than kiss you.”

“I’m not some one night thing your girlfriend pawns you off to when she’s bored, Harry Potter,” Gabrielle murmured, reaching up to caress his cheek with her slender fingers. She grabbed his shirt, pulling herself closer. “Just because I’m a Veela doesn’t mean I deserve to be treated that way.”

“Do you really think I would treat you like that?”

“I wouldn’t be in your lap if I thought you were that kind of man. But a girl must protect her heart,” Gabrielle whispered, grabbing his shoulders for support as she leaned in to brush her lips against his.

“There,” she murmured against his lips. “You won your dare. What do you want to do for the rest of the night?”

“What’d you mean?”

“Madame Maxime is not an idiot,” Gabrielle replied with a musical laugh. “She knows we have boys and girls stay overnight and she doesn't care. But she does secure the door to the carriage with a lock for which only she has the key at midnight. So you are stuck with me till sunrise, Monsieur Potter,” she explained, cocking her head to catch the tolling of the bell that signaled the start of a new day.

“Why lock the door only between midnight and sunrise?”

“Fleur says that’s when she goes to see your Professor Hagrid and she doesn’t want any of us to catch her,” Gabrielle answered with a giggle.

“Fleur might be onto something. As for us, I think we can start by finishing my dare.”

Gabrielle blinked. “But we just did.”

“That wasn’t a kiss.” Harry cupped her rosy, round cheeks and gently pulled her closer, pressing his lips against hers. She moaned quietly as his tongue swiped over her pink lips, begging for entry. She complied almost immediately, a breathy gasp escaping her mouth as Harry playfully nibbled on her lower lip before his tongue gently pushed into the warm embrace of her mouth. She shyly pushed her tongue up to meet him, the two dueling for dominance for but a second before she submitted to the man her Veela physiology had already decided was her perfect mate.

Gabrielle timidly pushed her hands into his hair, gasping in surprise as Harry pulled away after what felt like eternity. A thin trickle of saliva connected her swollen pink lips to his and she instinctively leaned in and captured them once more. Harry broke away from the kiss after a minute and began to lazily pepper her jawline with kisses, his hands moving to grab the edge of her shirt.

“Will you tell me when you want us to stop without hesitating?” Harry asked, burying his face in the crook of her neck. He swirled his tongue around her throbbing pulse point before sinking his teeth into her alabaster skin.

“H-harry! Oh, this feels so good. Please!” A strangled sob escaped her lips as he sank his teeth into her skin, leaving behind a large hickey when he pulled away. Harry slowly pulled the shirt over her head and carelessly tossed it to the floor, his eyes fixed on her torso, mesmerized by her firm breasts as they bounced free.

“Now, I’ve done my dare,” he whispered, running his tongue over his suddenly dry lips.

“What about the rest of the night?” Gabrielle asked, ignoring her instinct to let her allure rip free and to let the man she had come to adore make her a woman before sunrise.

Harry’s eyes flickered over to the large bed by their side. “I think I have a few ideas.”

Notes:

I know today is supposed to be 'Amour' day but I'm in the hospital and it hasn't been edited so it'll be released later this week. Gabrielle is Harry's age in this AU! The next chapter will be Harry and Gabrielle's first night, which I felt deserved one full chapter of sexy fun so I cut out what I wrote in this and added in the funny part with Fleur instead. As for Padma, she's going to get her heart broken but then she will have her first kiss which will be perfect and make everything better. I can't wait for the Yule Ball and for her and Harry to finally interact in a sensual way.