A Taste of Magic

Chapter 66: 66th Course - Wanting

"Mmm, now that is a very nice cup of coffee," Fleur said, savoring her cup.

"Thanks for teaching me," Harry said. "Like I said before, never made it really until I made the tiramisu."

"Tea is fine and good but nothing beats a cup of coffee," Fleur said, gesturing with her spoon.

There was a growing friendship between the girl from Beauxbatons and the boy from Hogwarts, as well as their respective friends. The French witches started visiting the clubroom more often since the Festival and the groups were starting to get used to one another. Both sides were more or less interested in the ways the opposite school operated as well as getting to know one another. While none of the four girls were as enthused with cooking as Harry was, they were more than willing to teach what they knew and receive food that they found delicious.

Each of the girls had their own motivations in visiting as well. Aimee was enthralled by the kneazles and Hedwig and so far, Crookshanks was fine with the attention, relishing the ability to sleep on someone unmoving. Sunny was a little more standoffish and Hedwig had her flights of fancy of course. Aimee also enjoyed chatting with Luna about traveling and magical creatures. Colette enjoyed verbally sparring with Pansy, Parvati, and Daphne. Sophie enjoyed talking about theory and magical things with Hermione, Padma, and Sue. Whereas Fleur was content to see her friends being content while exchanging bits of culinary knowledge with Harry and talking about clothes and fashion with Lavender, Parvati, and Millicent.

Fleur and the others were also very interested in how Harry and the Flamels became family. Harry gave them a slightly condensed version and they had been impressed, both at what Harry had gone through and done as well as being so close to the Flamels.

There had been a tense moment when Fleur explained what she did during the First Task, which then led to her explaining her Veela nature. It had come out that Harry's moments of 'head things' were him resisting the allure from both Fleur and Sophie and moreover when Fleur confessed to testing Harry directly. Thankfully, things were more or less smoothed over and the tenseness faded.

"You are a very strange boy," Fleur said, looking at Harry with a calculating expression.

"I've been told that before," Harry said wryly.

Fleur smiled. "I do not mean to be rude to you when I say that. You have very interesting friends, you make friends with other magical races, and you can consider two of France's most legendary magicals as family. And I hear you have close ties to your country's magical elite? And with all this power and possibility at your fingertips, you prefer to cook and stay in the kitchen."

"I like to cook," Harry said, shrugging. "And the people who are my friends are my friends. It's that simple really."

"Refreshingly simple," Fleur agreed. "And there is no one you are supporting for the Tournament?"

"I don't know Cedric really but I've heard he's nice. I'm not not supporting him." Harry turned his wand and watched the smoothie mixture blending in the cauldron. "I like Quidditch but don't follow it so I don't really know anything about Krum. He seems okay though; from what little interaction we've had. I'm not supporting Draco for many reasons." He frowned, a hard expression that did not escape Fleur's notice.

"And you and I are getting to know one another," Fleur said smoothly.

"Yup, and I think you're nice, now."