Harry Potter and the Galator
Chapter 24
Negatus Mysterium
Everyday was used as a training day for the up coming confrontation with the impostor. Ron, Hermione, Lavender, Ginny and Neville were progressing beautifully each day. Harry was teaching them hexes and jinxes that they would not have learned even with the help of the books in the restricted section in the library. They were learning hexes and jinxes that Merlin himself was teaching Harry during his late night training sessions.
Harry was enjoying every bit of his training. He was starting to become a true Mage like Merlin, and come to think of it, Dumbledore also performed magic without his wand. Harry had never thought about it before, but the more he was learning, the more he was remembering a lot of what Dumbledore did without his wand. He'd conjure up the food during the feasts, he would conjure up chairs or drinks with a wave of his hand. He wondered if Dumbledore was also a true Mage. He knew he probably could read minds and be somewhat of a clairvoyant since he knew everything that was going on in the school even when he wasn't around. He wondered if he knew about their plans to expose the impostor. Probably, but as he'd done in the past, he'd let them try to solve it on their own first. He'd always been there for him each time he needed help in one form or another.
The meeting with the impostor, however, was different. It was a little more personal than Harry cared to admit, but deep inside he knew he wanted to catch the impostor and make him pay for dishonoring his godfather's memory the way he did. He was a little anxious for next Saturday to arrive, but he had to worry about his final exams, at least he didn't have Quidditch to worry about. They won the last match with Slytherin and the house cup. McGonagall was ecstatic. Harry didn't think she'd ever see Professor Minerva McGonagall have a genuinely huge grin until he caught the snitch and rode around the stands for his lap of victory. He not only saw McGonagall grin, but he saw her jumping up and down like a little girl. But the best part of the victory was the scowl on Professor Snape's face. That was priceless.
The victory celebration was great as well. They hadn't received the note then, and even when the confrontation was bound to happen, they did not have a set date. They enjoyed themselves immensely, but now the weight of the upcoming confrontation was upon them, he vowed to be just as prepared and be as victorious as in the last Quidditch match. He was planning for Voldemort to be there somehow, but he kept that sinking feeling from his friends. He tried to keep everything else in his life normal.
"Harry," Hermione approached him after one of the training sessions. Everyone had gone to do their personal things and they were left inside the secret room. Harry turned around after placing his books back in his bag. They also studied a bit before they started hexing and jinxing each other.
"Yes Hermione," he answered though he felt the worry she was feeling.
"I'm worried." He gathered her in his arms and kissed the top of her head.
"Don't. Everything will be all right."
"How can you be so sure?"
"We have a plan remember? If we stick to the plan, everything will turn out fine."
"But what it something happens that we didn't plan for?" Like Voldemort she thought.
"Don't worry. I think we've covered everything that might happen." Even Voldemort he added in his head.
"I know, but I just can't help but worry about you most of all."
"Don't worry about me Hermione. Okay. I've been training with Merlin, remember?" She seemed to accept his answer and relaxed a bit. She put her arms around his neck and lifted her lips up to touch his.
The tender kiss she started was turning into a more passionate kiss that neither one had been prepared for. Harry's hand was caressing her back while the other one somehow found its way to her breast. She arched her back towards his touch and let out a moan. Harry was quickly losing his control and Hermione's busy hands were not helping at all. Her hands were well embedded into his hair. Their kiss became hungrier and hungrier.
Harry was lost in their kiss. He wanted to rip all her clothes out and be with Hermione. He could feel her wanting him as well and knowing made his control thinner and thinner.
Hermione was reeling. She felt so loved and cherished. She was becoming demanding with her kisses. Their tongue mated and their hands explored. She wished they didn't have so many clothes on. She was engulfed with wanting him.
Harry had to end it. He pulled away and Hermione almost fell if he hadn't had his arms around her waist. They were both breathless and flushed. Harry was rigid, but he knew this wasn't the right time for them. If they ever came together, he wanted their time together as perfect as he could make it. No the hard floor of a secret room was not exactly the right place to consummate their relationship and he knew that even if they were physically and mentally ready for the next step, they weren't emotionally ready.
They held each other while they were both trying to catch their breaths. Harry could feel Hermione's disappointment and relief. He put her at arms length and smiled down at her.
"We're not ready," he assured her letting her know that he felt the same as she did.
"Oh, Harry. Sometimes I want you so bad it doesn't matter what the consequences are."
"Hermione, no matter how much I want you and how much my control might be wavering from time to time, I know that you and I will regret it if we're not ready. You have a practical mind, Hermione, it's one of the things I love about you even if it does become challenging at times, and you love school too much to jeopardize it with something that you and I are not ready for." She nodded in agreement.
"I Love you so much, you know that don't you?"
"Yes, and I love you just as much if not more."
"I'm just worried that if we don't make love you'll hate me and move on to someone who will give it up to you with a snap and I know for sure there are a lot of girls out there who will jump at the chance to be with you."
He should have been angry by her words. How could she have thought that he was that shallow? He sensed her insecurities and decided to give her a positive feedback instead. "Hermione, look at me. I love you. Only you. You are the one I want to be with and I already told you, I am not ready yet either. Okay?" She smiled and nodded. He kissed her again gently without the carnal longing he had a few minutes before.
He held her and heard her sigh into his chest. He knew she was relieved. "You are the most important person in my life and I don't want you to ever feel that you have to give me anything more than your love."
"I love you," she sighed. "Did you know the crystal of answers was right when I asked my question?"
"Yes, it basically gave me the correct answer to my question as well, but I was just too thickheaded at the time to accept it." She was intrigued to say the least.
"Oh. And what pray tell did you ask the crystal of answer?"
"You tell me yours and I'll tell you mine?"
"Deal. You first."
"Oh fine. I asked who was the woman I was meant to be with and your image showed up inside the crystal of answers." She smiled at him.
"Is that why you almost dropped it?" She chuckled.
"Yes. So what was you question?"
"I just simply asked who the man of my dreams was and it told me that the answer was right in front of me and wouldn't you know it, you were standing right in front of me at that time."
"Were you disappointed?"
"No, I was ecstatic. The only problem was I didn't know how you felt."
"So, what about Francois?"
"Oh Harry, I told you I only went out with him in order to somehow re-affirm my feelings for you. After all, we had known each other for a while and I didn't want to confuse my friendship for you with love."
"Exactly what I was trying to do."
"Yeah, but it only took me one guy to make sure."
"One, what about Krum?"
"You know Krum and I never got together. We are just pen pals."
"So, you still write him?"
"Not so much now, but I do once in a while. I have been telling him about us."
"And, what does he think about us?"
"Harry Potter, do not tell me you're jealous," she joked.
"Nah, I just wanted to know what he thought about us."
"Well, he told me that he knew you meant more to me than just being a friend. He also told me that if there were two people that meant to be together, it was us. Isn't that sweet?"
"Sure Hermione," he sounded unconvinced. "If you say so." She hit him on the arm.
"What? I was agreeing with you."
"Sure Potter, don't get me started with my list."
"Don't tell me you're still mad at me for being such a git at the beginning of the term."
"No, but I just like to remind you once in a while to keep you humble." She laughed. He missed her laugh. Ever since the war started, she hadn't laughed often enough.
"I love you," he told her instead.
"I wish we didn't have to worry so much about other things. I want moments like this without having anything else to worry about, you know?"
"I know what you mean" and thank Merlin you don't have more to worry about like me he added in his head. He hugged her tight again.
"Do you have all your homework done?" she asked on a more serious note.
"Never get school out of your head, could you?" She hit him playfully and pretended to glare at him. "Yes, love, I have all my homework done."
"So, how do you think we're doing with our training?" He was surprised at the question, but immediately masked it with a smile.
"Very well if I do say so myself."
"What about Neville?"
"Oh, don't you worry about him too much. I think he's finally coming out of his shy shell. He's becoming more confident, I can feel it. He's only been training with us for a few days and already he's doing better than Lavender." Hermione was shocked. She thought Lavender was doing really well.
"Really?"
"Yes, I can feel his emotions when he's with us. I think he's becoming a better wizard than his gran anticipated. His parents would be proud of him."
"Oh, Harry and it's all because of you."
"No, not really. Neville had it in him all along. He just needed more confidence, is all."
"And what about the rest of us?"
"You know you're great." She beamed. "Ron and Ginny are also doing well. Lavender, well let's just say she has other things to worry about right now and it's affecting her frame of mind." Again she was surprised. "What is she worried about?"
"She's late."
"Has she told Ron yet?"
"No. She's waiting until she's sure. You know, I keep forgetting about your empath powers."
"I know, I'm sorry. I try to keep it off of you guys sometimes, but for some reason I can't tune you all out when you have really strong emotions. Can't she find out using a spell if she is pregnant or not?"
"She's afraid to go to Madam Pomfrey."
"Hermione, I can probably do it, but with her and Ron's permission."
"How Harry?"
"I can try to feel if there are other emotions coming from her apart from hers."
"I'll ask her, but I don't know if she's willing to tell Ron yet."
"Let me know. We can all meet here. We'd better get some rest. I still have another training session to go to."
"How long will the training with Merlin last?"
"He told me every night until he's taught me everything he knows. But he will give me a month off during the Summer Holidays."
"That's great. You're going to show us all you've learned when you're ready right?"
"I've already started. Where do think I've been getting the hexes and jinxes from?" She was taken aback.
"You mean to tell me those were from your sessions?"
"Yes"
"I thought you were getting from one of the books in the restricted section of the library."
"Wouldn't find it there anyway. Tell me, would you find negatus mysterium in there. I know I haven't taught you all that, but it's a little like the unforgivable curses only not as harmful."
"What does it do?"
"It's a spell to remove the magic of others." She gasped. "But the side effect is, it could backfire if the other witch or wizard has greater power than yourself or a powerful shield, then the spell could land on the very person who cast it."
"Oh, my. I don't think I want to learn that one. I'll stick to the more powerful yet simple hex and jinx." He smiled then and kissed her forehead again.
"Let's go to sleep." She nodded and led the way back to the common room. They kissed each other good night and went to their respective dormitories.