A story told in 3 parts. Here is the intro. Loosely inspired by Edelweiss (by SalTalStudios)-a fantastic story and something I highly recommend to read if you haven't. For other wonderful Harry/Fleur stories penned by other lovely and talented writers do check out the Flowerpot discord (discord. gg / 2CnxhHNj2n).

Enjoy

3 Steps to Love:

The fireplace roared, casting long unseemly shadows over the thick, hoary rug on which he lay. He stared into its glowing mouth, thinking it resembled the maw of a dragon; the red and orange tongues swirling, licking, and beating away the gloom of the rain-choked sky outside.

It always rains on today. He could hear soft patting against the roof and see long silver trails crawl down the panes and into the darkness.

"Harry, son, come sit."

Harry nearly jumped, forgetting his father was sitting on the saggy leather divan behind him. He hadn't spoken in quite some time.

James Potter smiled at him, warm, but very tired; the lines of his face made him appear far older than his thirty years suggested. He pulled Harry close as he climbed up next to him.

"Harry…" his voice rose just above the sound of the crackling hearth. "Have I ever told you how your mother and I met?"

Harry felt himself nod his head. "At Hogwarts," he said in a small voice.

"Yes, at Hogwarts," his father repeated kindly. "But did I ever tell you the story of how we fell in love? How I did, at least."

Harry shook his head. The beating of the rain picked up, tapping at the roof with an impatient knock.

"Well, it seems as if I've been negligent in some of my fatherly duties." The lightness in his voice faded to a heavy pause. Harry followed his father's gaze to a picture of his Mum, smiling with sunshine in her hair, which rested on the mantle; its edges were carefully brushed free of a single speck of dust. "It really is the most important lesson in life."

He looked down into Harry's eyes, which were thirsting.

"Love to the only one that matters in your heart comes thrice."

"What?" Harry blurted.

His father laughed. "There are three steps to love," he explained.

Harry knit his brows together in confusion. "I thought you said you fell in love at first sight?"

"Ah, so I did tell you some of it before!" Harry simply shrugged, while James held a finger in the air. "That's only the first step."

"What are the other two?" he asked quickly.

His father's hand shot out, mussing his hair before he could duck away. "Let me talk for more than a second without you interrupting and you'll find out," he said with good nature.

Harry slunk back, attempting futilely to pat down the bird nest that was his hair. He was smiling, just like his father, the blues of the day washed away by the joy of their shared company.

"Now—listen carefully, because if there's anything to learn from an old sod like me, it's this," his father said, looking very serious all of a sudden. "Love comes to you in three steps, each as magnificent and terrifying as the next: once, breathlessly, with their smile; once, hopelessly, for who they are; and once, deservedly, never to be lost again."

A silence blanketed the small room.

"Is that all?" said Harry, breaking it with a roll of his eyes at his father's hopeless romance.

"Make fun of it all you want, Harry," warned James, messing his hair again. "But it's real. I can prove it. Let me tell you how it all happened with Lily…"

And as the rain dried into a drizzle and the heart of the fire faded to soft-glowing embers, his father spun a story late through the night, which spoke of love and rivalries and a young man's mistakes. All the while, Harry lay curled into his side, listening to the hypnotic sway of his voice, his eyes growing heavy, nearly dreaming, smiling at the silly thought of someone who could possibly fall in love three times…