Desperate Measures

Chapter 17 - January & Draco

The Quibbler, Special Addition to January Edition, Monday, January 13, 1997

Current Count of Suitors: 338

Excerpt from An Introduction to Veela, Chapter 9 - A Brief History: International

--January 6--

"What did you get?" Dean asked eagerly as he held the weekly pool sheet.

Harry smothered his chuckle as everyone looked at him desperately. It hadn't been since the end of November that anyone had won the pool and the last he'd heard the pot had reached a total of nearly two galleons. "A book and some chocolate," he replied.

"Yes!" Neville cried while everyone else groaned.

"Only one person bet on books or candy?" Harry asked in disbelief.

"We stopped doing that early on since he seemed so intent on dressing you," Hermione said wryly. "What's the title of the book? And what kind of chocolate?"

"That's my Hermione," Harry laughed. "More interested in a book than in chocolates."

Hermione huffed in pretend irritation. "Well?"

Harry smirked unrepentantly and replied, "The book is actually blank. It's a collector's edition binder specially designed to hold an entire set of cards from chocolate frogs or, in this case, Schokoladenfrösche, since evidently Germany has the best chocolate frogs."

"You completely mangled that pronunciation, Harry," Hermione said with a wince.

Harry shrugged and opened one of his treats. "And, no, I'm not sharing," he said and popped the squirming chocolate into his mouth. Neville chuckled as he counted his coins while some of the others around him clucked in disappointment.

Hermione opened her mouth to let loose a smart comment about not wanting any anyway but then closed her mouth sharply and said instead, "I understand."

Harry raised his eyebrows in surprise as he continued to chew his treat. Well, it seemed Hermione had ordered the second, more advanced, book about Veelas from the Veela Council. Although, why that shocked him he had no idea. He really should have expected it.

"Do you have enough candy with you?" Hermione asked worriedly. "I know..." She trailed off as Harry raised a hand with a slightly alarmed look on his face. Her eyes widened in understanding a moment later as she realized that this must be one of Harry's current tests. "Sorry," she apologized softly.

Harry shook his head and smiled at his friend. "That's all right. Thanks for worrying about me but I'll be fine." A submissive Veela required more and more calories per day the longer they went without mating – something to do with the gestalt of the metabolism in the biological drive to mate. The best way to get those calories was actually through pure sugar as it was only calories, and not nutrients, that were needed. He wouldn't actually start needing the extra calories until February – which was when he would enter Désespoir – but he had no objection to starting early. He pulled out another chocolate frog.

"You're...you know...," Hermione tried to ask without asking and waved a hand in agitation.

"Yes," Harry confirmed. He was indeed, as Hermione had evidently surmised, paying attention to just which of his remaining suitors addressed his physical needs by sending candy, although he wouldn't eliminate them just for not sending him sweets. Of course, he had several tests prepared for the dates, as well. He contentedly chewed on his second frog.

"How many did he send?" Hermione asked curiously.

"A box," Harry answered as he swallowed the last of the chocolate.