Somewhere Safe - Chapter 31

A nicely set turkey dinner with four seats. He pulled the chair out for Delphi. She flashed him a small smile as she took a seat. Harry sat beside her.

"Mister Potter." Professor Riddle said. "How are you adjusting?"

"I'm doing well, professor." Harry replied with a nod.

"Did being intimate with my dearest daughter Delphi help?" Bella asked.

Harry blushed.

"Mother." Delphi sighed.

"it is a fair question." Bellatrix replied.

"Bella." Riddle warned.

She huffed but didn't press the issue. They served themselves and kept the conversation to a minimum during the meal.

"You are rather adept at dueling." Bellatrix stated once the table was cleared.

"Thank you." Harry said.

"Ferocious Fifi tells quite a tale about you." Bellatrix shot a sly glance at her daughter.

"Fifi?" Harry asked.

"A pet name." Bellatrix giggled.

"I called myself Fifi when I was a child." Delphi glared at her mother. "They never let me forget that."

Harry squeezed her hand. The small motion made Delphi blush brightly.

"What tales?" Harry asked before Bellatrix could say more.

"You claim to be a monster slayer and dark lord bane." Bellatrix leaned forward.

Harry tried to ignore the way the movement pressed her breasts against the table. Her cleavage was accentuated for a wonderous view. He forced himself to look her in the eyes. There was a soft caress of mist along his scalp as their gaze met. Instinctively, he slammed down on the touch and wrenched it from his mind.

Bellatrix rocked back in her chair. A wild smile played on her face as she settled into a normal sitting position.

"Ooo." Bellatrix cackled. She gave Delphi a feral smile. "He's a fighter."

"Bella." Professor Riddle rubbed the bridge of his nose.

"Bella will behave." She placed her hands in her lap, the picture of a proper lady.

"I don't know about monster slayer." Harry chose to ignore the crazed witch. "I defeated a troll in my first year by dropping its own club on its head. Later that year I had a run in with a Cerberus, but that was more of a misunderstanding. In my second year I had to escape an acromantula nest and killed a basilisk. Not at the same time, of course." He paused. "Third year I discovered that Dementors like the way I taste. They attacked me three or four times, I think, before I learned how to cast a Patronus. That kept them away. Nothing has attacked me this year, so far. Someone did put my name in the Goblet of Fire to sign me up for the Tri-Wizard Tournament, but the events hadn't started yet."

Professor Riddle and Bellatrix stared at him for a long moment. Both studied him in their own way to see if he was lying.

"Impressive." Professor Riddle broke the silence. "You say you learned to cast a Patronus in your third year as well?"

"Yes." Harry nodded. "It takes the shape of a stag."

"A full corporeal Patronus?" Professor Riddle blinked a few times. "Would you be kind enough to demonstrate?"

"Sure." Harry stood from the table and returned to the dueling platform. "Expecto Patronum."

His arm kicked back as Prongs shot out of his wand faster than ever. A wash of love, happiness, and contentment enveloped him. The feelings were no longer ghosts of a memory. They were fresh, alive, and vibrant. Prongs strode around the room in an efficient patrol. He came to a stop in front of Harry, then ran a ghostly tongue through his hair.

"Quit it." Harry laughed. "Thanks, Prongs. You can rest."

Prongs snorted and faded away. The cool burst of air tousled his hair even more. Harry tried not to blush as he turned to face the others. All three stared at him in awe. There was no hiding it now, his face was bright red.

"Amazing." Professor Riddle whispered.

Bellatrix stared at him like he was treasure. He didn't know how to take that. Delphi was much easier to read. She wanted to jump him right there. He gave her a kiss on the cheek before he sat once more.

"As for the dark lord bane." He shrugged. "He tried to kill me more than once. I lived."

"And this dark lord was Voldemort?" Professor Riddle asked.

The details of the situation smacked him upside the head. His blood ran cold. Here he sat at a dinner table with a borderline mad witch that was a world renown duelist, her slightly less borderline mad daughter, and a healthy Tom Riddle. If this was a trap, he had walked into it blindly.

Time seemed to freeze. He took in the entirety of the room, his position within it, and possible ways to escape. The door was behind Riddle and Bellatrix, he would have to go through them to get to it. Not possible. The windows were his best option.

A plan formed in an instant.

Blast the table to block their line of sight, freeze Delphi to her chair, silence her, sprint to the window, and jump. He couldn't remember how high the room was off the ground. They weren't in a tower, but that could mean anywhere between two and seven floors. He would deal with that once he was through the glass.

Delphi gave his hand a soft squeeze. He looked down to it, then slowly trailed his eyes up along her arm to rest on her face. The honest look of concern and care banished the flash of panic. He raised her hand to his lips and placed a kiss on her knuckles. Delphi shivered at the contact.

"Yes." Harry turned his attention back at Professor Riddle. "That's something I don't want to talk about."

"Understood." Professor Riddle inclined his head. "My apologies. I'm afraid my curiosity got the better of my common sense."

Harry cleared his throat. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Thank you for dinner." He stood. "It was nice to meet you, Mrs Riddle."

"Bellatrix." She countered.

"Bellatrix." Harry gave a polite smile. "Professor, enjoy the rest of your night. I need some air."

Harry stood. He tried not to be tense when they stood as well. It was polite behavior, not hostile. He forced himself to relax as he strode over to the door. The sound of shuffling feet behind him pushed him out into the hallway even faster. He slipped to the side and pressed himself against the wall. His wand was already in his hand when the door opened again.

Delphi hurried out into the hallway. She didn't notice him as she continued on for a short distance. The door slowly drifted closed. It didn't seem like anyone else was coming.

"Harry?" Delphi called.

The sorrow and worry in her voice lanced through his heart. His shoulders slumped.

"Here." He spoke barely above a whisper.

She spun to face him. A myriad of emotions played across her face. Worry, confusion, assessment, approval, arousal, love, and back to worry. She approached him slowly, as one does as to not startle an animal. Her hands were out in front of her, palms up to show she was unarmed.

"You're safe." She soothed. "I won't let anyone hurt you."

Harry smiled at that. He suppressed a laugh that threatened to escape. It was one born of madness, not levity, and would ravage his emotions. This he knew from experience.

Slowly, she got within reach. She placed a hand on his outstretched arm. He hadn't even realized he had raised his wand. She guided it down to his side, then gently pulled him into a hug. The tenderness of the moment clashed against what he had seen from her before.

"My family has experience dealing with moments of madness." Delphi whispered.

Harry rested his head on her shoulder. His hands shook. It took a couple of tries to get his wand back in the holster. Delphi held him until his breathing returned to normal and the tension in his muscles eased.

She took his hand and began to lead him back to Gryffindor towner. It was a long, quiet walk, and just what he needed. She stayed by his side with her hand in his. At some point she shifted closer to slide an arm around his waist. It brought the two of them closer.

"You know." Delphi smiled at him. "I had plans for this evening."

Harry looked at her. The question went unspoken, but it was clear. He didn't have the energy to speak. The emotional whiplash had done a number on him.

"I was going to take you back to your room and make love to you." She kissed him on the cheek.

Harry arced an eyebrow at her.

"You were expecting me to ravage you?" Delphi laughed. "Or demand you ravage me?"

Harry nodded.

"No." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I wanted to make love to you. To fall asleep in your arms and wake next to you."

"I…" Harry cleared his throat. "I need some time."

Delphi nodded.

"But." He continued. "I would like to sleep with you in my arms."

Delphi kissed him on the cheek again.