As Harry was combing Gabrielle’s hair, another person came into the room, “Harry, son. How are you?” It was Fleur’s mother.

“I’m doing good, Mrs. Delacour,” Harry said with a smile.

“How often have I told you to call me Apolline, dear?” She asked as she walked up to the trio of Harry and her daughters.

“It doesn’t feel right…” Harry just gave her a wry smile as he freed his hand from Gabrielle’s hair before holding the hand that Apolline extended toward him. He lightly brushed his lips against her knuckles before freeing her hand, “I apologize for not being able to get up.” He said as he gestured to both of Apolline’s daughters that were practically sticking to him.

“It’s quite all right, son.” Apolline laughed in reply as she took a seat on the armchair at the side.

Inwardly, Harry thought with a shudder, ‘Fleur’s already got some faint thoughts about my mother… If I start calling Fleur’s mother by her first name, I have no idea what kind of fantasy this horny succubus would cook up in her mind… And I’m not sure how Apolline would react…’ He wasn’t apprehensive about Apolline’s refusal. He was more scared of her agreement, leading to Fleur and Apolline actually initiating a threesome. As sexy as that would be, it would cross a line Harry didn’t want to cross.

To Harry, his mother was inviolable. After so many years of raising him by herself, she hadn’t even thought of remarrying. And he’d tried to convince her to meet someone, but she was completely unwilling. That’s why he didn’t mind playing along with Fleur’s fantasy every once in a while. Because he was sure that Fleur would never try to take things further than some harmless fantasy when it came to his mother.

On the other hand, Apolline was part-Veela. And if the source of Fleur’s fetishes and fantasies is her Veela heritage, her mother might just end up agreeing to her daughter’s fantasy just for the taboo feeling. Deciding to not deal with these thoughts, Harry shook his head and pulled himself together.

Harry focused back on Gabrielle’s hair as Fleur asked her mother, “Did you have breakfast yet, mama?”

“Yes, me and Gabrielle already ate. I was heartbroken after seeing your letter in the morning…” She said dramatically as if Fleur had done something horribly wrong.

“All I did was skip breakfast, Mama…” Fleur didn’t think it was that much of a big deal. She would regularly go over to Harry’s house for food. Apolline was a very nice cook, but she couldn’t compare to Lily.

“Not that.” Apolline said, “I’m talking about your abysmal calligraphy. I thought I taught you better handwork.” She said with a disappointed tone.

“Oh…” Fleur deflated, “I was occupied…” She blushed while looking away. She didn’t know how to tell her mother that she had to use magic to write the letter.

“Occupied with what?” Apolline asked with a frown, “You are a refined lady, there are certain things that are expected of you and you must live up to them.” She admonished Fleur with good intentions.

Seeing that Fleur was about to lash out, Harry decided to intervene and coughed to get Apolline’s attention, “She was busy with me, Mrs. Delacour. We were working on something.” Harry’s words instantly changed the atmosphere as Apolline’s motherly presence changed to that of a curious gossipy teenager.

She asked with a smile, “What positions did you both do it in?” Her words made Harry choke on his spit as Fleur exclaimed, “Mama!”

“‘Arry, what does Mama mean by positions? Were you guys doing yoga?” Gabrielle lightly elbowed him to get his attention and asked with an innocent tone.

“Look what you did!” Fleur pointed to Gabrielle and looked at Apolline with scrutiny, “This is what you always do…“

“Don’t worry, Gabi.” Harry consoled her, “Ignore them, just enjoy…” He said as he continued gently combing her hair with his fingers, making her feel comfortable. Gabrielle closed her eyes and leaned back into Harry’s chest. She just ignored everything else and enjoyed the feeling of Harry caressing her hair.

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Harry didn’t get too involved in the little argument between Fleur and her mother. This wasn’t a rare occurrence. He just let them go through their motions while intervening whenever things seemed to be getting too aggressive. He didn’t want things delving to a point where they actually get serious, even though that intervention came at his expense. They would both collectively target him for a bit before turning to each other again.

The argument lasted the next thirty minutes and in that time Harry had put Gabrielle to sleep so that the little girl wouldn’t get affected by Fleur and her mother’s argument. She was sleeping peacefully on his lap as if nothing else in the world was happening.

“Come on, ‘Arry, we’re leaving.” Fleur grabbed Harry’s arm and pulled him away from the sofa. By now, he was also pretty fed up with the argument between the two and determined that this was the best option. He put one arm under Gabrielle and made her rest her head on his shoulder blade before standing up while holding her in his arm.

Fleur held his other arm and walked to the front door to leave the house. Seeing that Apolline was about to blow her fuse about Fleur leaving just like that, he said, “Don’t worry, Mrs. Delacour…”

Harry discretely pulled out his wand with the arm that was supporting Gabrielle’s bottom and cast a Confundus charm on Fleur to confuse her for a moment. He took that moment to change their direction and by the time Fleur came to her senses, she found herself in her own bedroom with Harry who was holding her asleep sister in one arm.

She looked at him with a threat dripping from her eyes as Harry looked back at her innocently. The stand-off lasted for a couple of seconds before she sighed tiredly, “Isn’t she heavy?”

“I can even pick you up with one arm, Fleur, Gabi is certainly no issue.” Harry laughed lightly and directed a fond look at the sleeping girl he was holding.

“Yeah, but I’m lighter than her…” Fleur said with a smirk, “Right?”

“Hm?” Harry tried to play it cool and acted as if he hadn’t heard her question.

“I’m lighter than her, right ‘Arry?” Fleur asked with an emphasized tone.

“She’s 10, Fleur.” Harry wasn’t going to give a direct answer.

“And? What’s…your…point?” Fleur walked up to him while enunciating each word and got close to him. She had to raise herself up on her tiptoes to get close to Harry’s face.

“She’s…” Harry thought of something to say that wouldn’t lead to Fleur annoying him later. That was when he heard a whimper from Gabrielle, “She’s walking up.” He clenched the lifeline that the little girl gave him as if his life actually depended on it and escaped from Fleur.

He put his other hand on her back and lightly rubbed it while making Gabrielle comfortable in his arms.

Fleur just laughed amusedly at Harry’s desperate escape and sat on her bed before taking off the heeled shoes that she was wearing.

She pulled her legs up on the bed and slightly folded them before looking at Harry. “‘Arry…” She called him in a whining tone. She stretched out her arms as if reaching out to him.

When he looked at her, he saw Fleur’s outstretched arms and needy expression that made him smile wryly at her. Though he couldn’t resist the call from his partner. He gently put Gabrielle down on the bed and caressed her forehead, letting her comfortably sleep.

“You and Gabi aren’t very different, you know that? Both you sisters are such needy girls…” Harry asked Fleur as he sat on her side of the bed and pulled her into his arms. He sat up against the headboard and Fleur leaned her head against his shoulder while wrapping her arms around his neck.

“Gimme a break, I just fought my mother…” Fleur said as she took a deep sniff of Harry’s scent after burying her face in his neck.

“Give me a break, that was more of a catfight than an argument. You two weren’t even arguing about anything, you were just taking out your frustrations on each other.” He said as he freed one of Fleur’s arms from his neck and started playing with her hand with his free hand.

Fleur hummed comfortably as she felt his thumb pressing her palm while his fingers rubbed the back of her hand, “It’s just how we work…” She had a slightly defensive tone. Though the tinge of sadness was unmistakable.

“You can try to work differently.” He said.

“I’ve tried, both of us have. Things always delve into petty arguments. When Papa was still here, he was able to act as the mediator to make sure that the arguments didn’t go too far, but that was it. Even he wasn’t able to stop it. And now that he’s gone… It’s hard, ‘Arry…” She said with a tired sigh.

“We’ll get through it. I think I mediated pretty well between you two today.” He tried to bring the conversation into a more lighthearted direction.

“Mhm…” She nodded as her lips pressed together and she showed him a serious expression, “You did amazingly.”

“See?” He smiled at her antics, “You can just call me whenever things seem to be getting heated up.”

“Are you trying to take my Papa’s place in the family, ‘Arry?” She looked at him with narrowed eyes. She didn’t let Harry respond and said, “What then, hm? You’ll tell me to call you Daddy?” She asked while getting her face extremely close to his.

Harry blinked a few times before answering, “I wouldn’t mind being called Daddy every once in a while…” He shrugged.

“You…” Fleur gave him a frustrated smile as she bit his nose.