A Debt

Chapter 1: A Night to Remember

Disclaimer- I don't own anything except this plot.

Pairing- Harry/Fleur

Triwizard Tournament- Second Task Conclusion:

Madame Maxime was trying to restrain Fleur Delacour, who was quite hysterical, fighting tooth and nail to return to the water.

"Gabrielle! Gabrielle! Is she alive? Is she 'urt?"

"She's fine!" Harry tried to tell her, but he was so exhausted he could hardly talk, let alone shout. Percy seized Ron and was dragging him back to the bank ("Gerroff, Percy, I'm all right!"); Dumbledore and Bagman were pulling Harry upright; Fleur had broken free of Madame Maxime and was hugging her sister. "It was ze grindylows . . . zey attacked me . . . oh Gabrielle, I thought . . . I thought . . ."

"Come here, you," said Madam Pomfrey. She seized Harry and pulled him over to Hermione and the others, wrapped him so tightly in a blanket that he felt as though he were in a straitjacket, and forced a measure of very hot potion down his throat. Steam gushed out of his ears.

Meanwhile the now relived and considerably calmer silver blonde was stroking her younger versions head affectionately and reassuring that it was all over. Her baby blue slightly glistering eyes were gazing steadily in the direction of one raven haired man whom she owed a debt, which she would pay especially one like this.

That Night:

Harry as usual was on his nightly strolls through the high rising empty halls and corridors. Marauder's Map stuffed in his pocket as he had come into terms with routines of night time patrolling of the teachers and prefects. He was now so attuned to Hogwarts at night that he needn't need the invisibility cloaks except in exceptions. Right now he was sauntering in the aisle of the second floor on eastern end of the castle, heading to the terrace garden where the special Rose garden of Hogwarts was. It was best to visit the place in the winters. He used to come here only when life reached its extreme. Besides the astronomy tower this place had best view of the sky. Today he didn't know why but he couldn't sleep, after all he was tying up with Cedric for first place in a competition that he wasn't even fit for competing in. He didn't know whether to celebrate or to just feel safe that he came out of another task completely unharmed. Indeed everyone was celebrating in the common room still, but he wasn't in the mood so he snuck out to find solace in isolation. He entered the terrace and slipped on his usual seat by the railing at the extreme end. Tonight was a clear sky, Parvati Patil had once during the Yule Ball told him that they had an old saying for kids that when your loved ones die they become a star in the sky and watch over you from there like guardians. Since then he used to search for the stars which he could relate to his parents.

Little did he know that his every movement from entering the terrace to sitting on the bench he was being watched by pair baby blue eyes hidden in the shadows. Fleur silently advanced and crept behind him. She knowingly was releasing a bit of aura fully aware that it had no effect on him. He suddenly became uptight but then just as fast he relaxed back into his previous posture.

"Hello, Fleur." He could now recognize that special aura anywhere even in the busy streets of London, well who wouldn't; after all there aren't many veelas in London.

"'ello 'arry" she greeted likewise, "Zese are beautiful aren't zey?" She like Harry was staring at the star studded sky.

"Most definitely" Harry agreed with her and a silence followed their little verbal exchange. Harry feeling awkward with Fleur still standing behind him shifted over and offered the warmed seat for her. Fleur thanked him and took the seat. After few more minutes of silence she asked, "So why are you 'ere?" her eyes shifting to forest green ones now focusing on her.

"Just to look at them" he pointed to the stars, "they make me feel at peace, safe and totally normal."

"Normal?" Fleur asked genuinely interested.

"Yeah, they never move from where they are. They had been and will always remain at that same place over millennia's. They don't care what happens down on Earth or even the universe. They unlike my life are normal and steady." Harry answered a bit gloomily.

"I understand." Fleur nodded and turned back to the stars.

"So why are you here?" Harry asked politely.

"Roses! My reason to be 'ere. Zey make me feel normal." Fleur replied. She saw the question flash on Harry's face, and answered, "Zey are so beautiful and are adored by everyone. And like everything in nature zey wither and die at ze end. But as long as zey are zere, zey keep on spreading zeir beauty and fragrance irrespective of what ozzers zink. Just ze way I want to live." She sighed.

"I understand." Harry mirrored Fleur's previous reply.

"Yeah, you understand." She acknowledged, "You and I being quite similar. Both 'ated and loved for ze same zing- 'Us being Us.'" She plainly stated the fact.

"I guess you are right." He conceded. Not knowing what else to say he asked the general question which can fit anywhere, "So… umm… how's your stay at Hogwarts? I mean…"

"Fine and with current company pretty good." She grinned dazzlingly at him while Harry blushed cherry red which was more than clear even in the moon light.

"uhh… Thanks." Harry muttered lightly while Fleur burst into a fit of laughter with her dulcet voice echoing of the nearby stoned walls making Harry break the record of obtaining a hue of red more contrast than the Weasleys'.

After a few moments she stopped for breath and gaily glanced at the still tomato red messy haired teen fumbling with his thumbs while stealing glances her way.

"You know, I 'aven't laughed like zat for god knows 'ow many years, seriously." She confessed.

"Glad to be of some use." Harry grinned back.

She relaxed and slipped a bit closer to him. She looked down in her lap. There was something she wanted him to know ever since he saved her sister. "'arry zere's something I want to tell you." She said placidly.

Harry sobered up and gave her his full attention.

"It was noble really noble of you to save a 'ostage who 'ad nozzing to do wiz you. Before you interrupt you must know, like fire and water don't mix togezzer, a Veela and water creatures especially mermaids don't mix with each ozzer. Zere's a very long story behind zis, so don't ask now. Long story short my sister was in real danger. 'ence what you did unknowingly and obviously selflessly was a really very noble deed." She smiled gently at him and continued, "Since it was my task to do and you did it on my behalf so this makes me owe you a debt."

"What?" Harry's voice echoed a bit louder than acceptable for the time of night.

"shhh" Fleur looked around to see if anyone had seen them. "Yes a debt. And no, you have no say in this. To clear it, all I 'ave to do is, simply 'elp you in a dire situation without endangering our lives. Simple isn't it?" By the looks on Harry's face she could see he still did not agree and was ready to argue. But it was neither time nor a place for arguing and besides she wasn't in a mood to argue. So she deftly placed a long elegant finger on his lips to stop his next words and closed a bit more so that their faces were just centimeters apart.

She whispered sedately, "No matter what you say, you can't change anything, besides I won't allow you. And I still 'ave to zank you properly for saving my sister. So just sit back and relax."

She moved her hand and cupped his cheeks while staring steadily in the forest green eyes gawking back at her at what was she doing and going to do. She moved in closer and their eyelids automatically dropped as their lips brushed lightly against each-others. At first Harry stiffened then completely melted against her lips, which made her smile and press her lips more into him. Harry didn't know what to do but his hormones told him to return the pressure which he gladly agreed to. After some seconds Fleur shifted her lips against his to slightly nip on his lower lips. He tasted a bit like frosty fresh air and pumpkin juice, a strange one but since when they were normal.

She tasted so much like honeysuckle, and bit more which he couldn't place nor did he wanted to ponder over that especially now. Her lips were so soft and warm that it made him want to kiss them forever or at least until he could. She slowly plucked on his lower lip and then shifted alternately between upper and lower lips making him want to moan; his hormones all the while nudging him to respond equally. So he took hold of her lower lip and sucked lightly on it, which made Fleur take a sharp breath and him hornier. She opened her eyes to look into his and they both quickly went back to lip fight. The simple kiss slowly turned into a steamy fight over control of each other's lips accompanied the very horny smacking sound of lips hitting and sucking each other. She was impressed with his skills and to think this was his first time.

They didn't know nor did they care when their bodies had come close enough for Fleur to be sitting in Harry's lap. But right now that wasn't the matter of concern, what mattered was she was the elder among them and couldn't lose to a newbie in kissing, so quickly took the profit of Harry's open mouth and inserted her full tongue in his mouth without giving him a chance to retaliate. Harry's hand tightened over her waist and her grip over his head as she forced his tongue to remain in its den. She wandered everywhere she could reach. Since he was still a smaller teen than her so his mouth was smaller which gave her a full access to his mouth, she skillfully skimmed over his molars and gums trying to map a picture in her mind all the while battling with his amateur tongue.

Harry though absolutely loving the situation but his inner gryffindor was roaring for him to gain his virile right of having the upper hand. So he moved one of his hands from her slim waist over to her head. He took a handful of her sleek and extremely soft silver blonde locks and lightly yanked it so that she was pulled back. The moment her tongue lost its dominance in his mouth he quickly forced his way in her mouth, while Fleur was still coming into terms with the dirty trick Harry played on her. Just like lips, her mouth did taste same. The perfectly even and white teeth were surprisingly equally sharp, but he loved it. Her mouth was deeper and more longish than broad, and since he was smaller so he couldn't fight her with equal force to explore her. But he was doing a good job in keeping her at bay at least.

Fleur couldn't accept this. Since she was already in his lap, so she quickly shifted to straddle him without breaking the contact. This gave her the opportunity to remove his grip from locks and pin his hand away from her, while her other hand was still clutching his hair a bit tightly. She fully used her body mass to immobilise him with her having a clear control of the situation. This sudden shift made Harry slack a bit on his hold on her tongue which she quickly reversed. She continued the fight until the need for oxygen forced them apart.

They both were panting, sweating slightly even for the subzero temperature of the night and grinning madly at each other. Though Harry had the decency to blush at his first awesome kiss. And she said this was supposed to be a thank you. Fleur slowly got off him while placing a chaste kiss on his lips. "I must say you were quite impressive, much more zan an average first timer."

Harry rubbed the back of his neck while grinning, "Gee… thanks. Uhh… what can I say? My father and godfather were supposedly the Casanovas of the school during their time."

"You certainly 'ave gained some good traits from him zen Mr. Potter." She whispered saucily in his ears while biting on his ear lobe causing Goosebumps run throughout his body.

"T…Thanks." He muttered huskily which enticed a fleeting laugh from Fleur.

"I zink it's late and I should go before Madame Maxime goes on rounds. 'arry zanks again. And remember my debt; I will be zere for you no matter what." She turned around and skirted about the bench and headed towards the entrance to the terrace entry/exit. She waved a hand and said, "Bon nuit 'arry."

"Good night Fleur." He replied weakly all the while his eyes glued to the swaying backside of the angel of his dreams.

A/N: Chapter ends.

Originally planned as one shot but let's see where it goes. Actually this idea came to me like this morning and I just couldn't resist but write and post.

READ AND REVIEW and tell me what do you think about this story (this was first time I wrote a kiss scene).

Next update for '12 Hours' and 'The Bond' in this week…

Until then…

Adios…