3. Potion making and girl's secrets
"We should go to the library," Hermione said. "I have got an idea. I remember from our third year that madam Pomfrey gave us girls a lesson on sex and how to avoid getting pregnant. There are spells that can be used, but she warned against using spells on oneself. But there are one or two potions that can be used, but I don't remember the details. I don't think I felt very concerned at the time," she said.
"Oh, great. Then we …" Harry's voice trailed off. After a while he added, more confidently: "If we are going to make a potion, we have to think how we can get past Snape to get the ingredients. I will go fetch my map."
"It is not always the ingredients that are the difficulty, as you should know. It is the way you prepare the potion that matters," lectured Hermione. "I have a rather extensive supply of ingredients myself!" However, Harry was already halfway up the stairs to his room.
"I think he loves using his map more than reading potion formulas," Hermione smiled to herself.
Their first errand was to the Muggle studies classroom. When they got outside the portrait hole, Harry took Hermione's hand and gave her a smile. It was a great feeling of togetherness to walk hand in hand through the deserted corridors. They met Nearly Headless Nick who bowed so low that his head swung off.
"Merry Christmas Harry and Miss Granger! Holding hands I see. I remember when I myself was young …" he said when he had replaced his head again. "Oh, those were the times …" he added smiling benevolently at the pair.
"Yes, we are very happy, aren't we Harry?" Hermione said smiling. His chest felt tight when he saw her eyes. "Y… Yes", he managed to croak.
They continued down to the Muggle studies classroom. Harry had never been here before. He was amazed at the line of every-day muggle devices lining the floor and cramming the shelves. Radios, TV-sets, tape recorders, washing machines, electric stoves, power drills, circle saws, hairdryers, lamps of varying designs; everything.
"Hermione, you have seen these devices at home. Why do you take muggle studies?" he asked.
"Well, the interesting part is how the 'pureblood' students react. I also learn how you manage the everyday life as a wizard or witch without these things. Most things we muggle-born need these devices for can be done just as easily with magic. There are some things that the muggles are better at though."
"I see. But that means that some muggle devices can be left in the open and unless say a wizard has done his muggle study lessons; he would be left without an inkling of its use."
Harry became thoughtful. There was an idea in his head struggling to break the surface. Meanwhile, Hermione had connected the charger of her mobile phone to en outlet on one of the workbenches. The red light on the charger came on instantly.
"Well, that does it," Hermione stated happily. "Now for the library."
When they reached it, Hermione went briskly up to the register with Harry a few steps behind. This was clearly her home arena. She very quickly searched the register and found the book she needed. Meanwhile Harry had activated his map and was scanning it for signs of professor Snape's whereabouts.
"Harry, listen! Here it is," Hermione started reading:
"The anti-conception potions exist in two types:"
"Potion A is guaranteed effective from -1 day to 7 days after intake. (That is, it can be used as a day-after contraceptive). Only the female uses it, but it is not recommended for continuous use because of the risk of side effects."
"Potion B is guaranteed from 6 hours after intake and up to 18 weeks. The recipe allows for half of the quantity to be saved and to be taken after that time span allowing for an additional protection period of 18 weeks. This potion is to be taken by both the male and female and is effective only for that couple."
"Great!" Harry exclaimed. "36 weeks. That means it will last the entire summer until we come back here and then we can make a new batch!" Hermione smiled happily at his implied assurance that their relation would last.
"Look here Hermione! Snape is just leaving through the main gate! And let's see … there is someone waiting for him … Miss Emily Tanner."
Hermione was not listening however; she had just found a note:
"Harry, it says here: 'Hogwarts students are advised that complete sets of ingredients to these potions can be obtained from madam Pomfrey in the hospital wing. Apply in person.' - Harry, we have better go to her at once."
Harry started to get somewhat red in his ears. "Why, I feel a bit awkward."
"Harry, madam Pomfrey has always treated us nice with no unnecessary questions asked. Don't be silly!" She put the book back where it belonged and came up to Harry. She gave him a kiss on his cheek, took his hand and led him out of the library.
They entered the door to the hospital wing. In there it felt very abandoned; no activity at all. They explored cautiously further into the hall. Then they heard a bell strike in the distance. After a while, madam Pomfrey entered with an apprehensive look on her face. When she had ascertained that neither of her visitors seemed to be ill or hurt or in pain, her expression changed into a welcoming smile.
"What can I do for you two?" she asked.
"We went to the library to look up an anti-conceptive potion and found a reference to say that the ingredients could be obtained from you," answered Hermione quietly with red ears.
"And we thought version B would suit us best," added Harry.
"Oh really! How sweet! I wondered when you two would make that discovery. I have seen this coming for years."
"You remind me so much of Lily and James," she continued. "I was here during a practise period in my study to become a medi-witch. I remember them coming here asking the same question; shyly holding their hands. But … that must have been in their seventh year. You are a year faster; but youngsters mature faster nowadays. And you have gone through more hardships than they had, I think".
"Harry", she added when she saw the expression on his face at the mention of his murdered parents. "You should know that they had several years of happiness together. When it was time for you to be born, they came back here. I had entered this position then, so I had the honour of helping them. You were delivered in the room in there to the left. You can go and have a look."
When Harry came back, Hermione held a paper bag in her hands with a relieved expression on her face. "Off you go then and good luck," madam Pomfrey said. "There is a tricky bit in the beginning of the recipe, but you will manage, I think."
"Let's meet in my room, I've started making things ready." Hermione said when they were walking back from the hospital wing. She took the stairs up to the girl's dormitories, while Harry went to return the map to his room. He was the first to reach Hermione's room, however; a cauldron, a set of hour glasses of varying sizes, a burner and some small glass basins was already on the table.
Hermione entered a minute later, placed the paper bag on the table and started to unpack its contents into an orderly arrangement of small envelopes and parcels. She then took out the recipe.
"We will do this together," she said. "I read out the various steps and keep track of the time, and you do the things as I tell you. Let's see. Here it says how the potion works". She started reading aloud.
"The potion works a confundus charm on the spermatozoa. They are caused to swim in the wrong direction relative to the ovum, thereby preventing conception. This reaction is keyed to the couple by the ingredients acquired in steps A and B. Perform these two steps before starting step C."
"Oh, I see this is the tricky bit madam Pomfrey told us about", exclaimed Hermione. "Well, we are going to see this through," she added confidently.
"What's the problem?"
"I'm going to take 3 genital hairs from you with this tweezers. Up on the bed and take off your pants and pull down your shorts." Hermione seemed quite composed. Very little could perturb her when something had to be done.
Harry silently complied. He soon lay on Hermione's bed with his private parts exposed. Hermione deftly used the tweezers to pick the 3 hairs needed, and placed them in one of the small glass basins. She then giggling pinched his flabby penis with her fingers. "What's this? I don't recognize this thing."
When Harry got off the bed, she quickly took his place, pulled down her knickers and lifted her skirt. "Now it's your turn".
Harry was not as businesslike though. When he saw her exposed he just stared. He took in the beautiful curve of her hips, the soft form of her thighs meeting with a space in between where he saw her round smooth nether lips. Where they joined there was the small button, and above it a triangle of glittering brown curly hair. Hermione's sharp "Harry!" broke his gaze.
"You have the most beautiful pussy I ever saw!" Harry answered, picking the 3 hairs he needed and planting a quick kiss right at her pleasure button.
When Hermione had gathered herself and again stood on the floor she said: "Harry James Potter, WHAT do you know of the look of 'pussies'?"
"Hermione please! When we visited Ron this summer, he had got at muggle girlie magazine. In it was a photo article named *Miss pretty pussy contest*. We delighted in the pictures wandering how there could be that many different looks of the same thing. That is my only experience, I promise. - I still think you would have won if you had entered that contest!" he added with a grin.
"Boys!" Hermione answered and turned away, but Harry was positive he saw a hint of a smile on her face.
After this, the making of the potion went smoothly; Hermione was reading and managing the hourglasses to time the adding of ingredients at the correct moments, and Harry was picking up the small envelopes and parcels and adding their contents and stirring carefully. Harry found after a while that this was the first time he found potion making to be fun. After a while, only one ingredient was left. The potion should now simmer for 20 minutes and Hermione activated a 15 minutes hourglass. Harry wondered why they couldn't add the last ingredient at once and then wait.
"Harry, this much I have learnt. Eel skin is used to clear the potion and is added just before it is to be ready. You just can't make such changes to the recipe. The instructions must be followed. They have been worked out in a special way because of a reason. But I understand your question. I think Snape is a bad teacher; he should pay much more attention to explain such things, not use his time to frighten his students. I have had to learn the principles of potion making myself from other books."
"Thank you, Hermione", Harry said. "I think you are the teacher I need." He raised himself and enveloped Hermione in an embrace. "Do you still feel pain? I have noticed that you have preferred standing the entire morning."
Hermione reached up her arms around his neck. "I will let you in on some girl secrets," she said.
"All girls are born with a small membrane at the entrance to the vagina. You know what the vagina is, don't you?"
"Yes, I have been there".
"Don't be smart, listen. That membrane will break the first time, you know, and it usually hurts a little and there is a small bleeding."
"Yes, I know that much. I've often wondered how to handle that situation," Harry put in.
"You handled it very well, Harry. For a second I was afraid you were more experienced than you led me to think," Hermione said silently. "But I know you wouldn't tell me a lie, would you?"
"No Hermione, You were my first, and you know it. But I was really afraid of hurting you." Harry caressed her a while before Hermione continued her lecture.
"When girls have their period or as it is called menstruate, they have to do something to collect the blood that issues. This can be done with a special bandage, which is the way I have been doing it, or with a tampon inserted into the vagina. Many girls can use a tampon although they are virgins, but I could not do this. That membrane was too well developed. My mother told me when I started to menstruate, the summer I was 13, that a doctor very easily could make a cut so I also could use tampons."
"I decided however that I didn't want this. I wanted to lose my virginity the normal way. And Harry, I have always thought that it would be with you." Hermione looked Harry steadily in his eyes. "So Harry, the small pain and the blood was nothing to me. I had been thinking of this for several years, and when it happened, it was a dream coming true."
Another silence followed, while Harry fondly nibbled at her ears.
"And about my standing up: When you were into that room in the hospital, madam Pomfrey asked if I had any pain. She offered a salve to apply. She said it was the best from two worlds. It was based on a muggle anti bacterial salve with some magical additions of her own design. As she said, it was supposed to increase the suppleness and firmness of the tissues, and the process was improved if no unnecessary stress was applied. That's why I am standing."
"Hermione, I truly love you", Harry answered after a while. "What have I done to earn I girl like you?"
"You have simply had the courage to be yourself, I think"
"Hermione, what did you say madam Pomfrey told you about that salve?"
"She said it was anti …"
"Yes, but before that".
"… It was the best from two worlds".
"Yes, that was it. I have an idea hatching in my head. That statement fit with that idea."
"What idea is that?"
"I want to discuss it with you but I can't put it in words yet."
Hermione was now watching the hourglass. When it emptied she quickly turned a 5 minutes one and started to wait again. Harry wrapped his arms around her waist and buried his nose in her hair. "What makes you smell so wonderful?" he asked. She smiled but gave no answer. He stealthily moved one hand upwards and cupped her left breast. He was disappointed though; she obviously was wearing the rather unsexy bra he had glimpsed the day before. It was hard and unyielding. He had to bring this up carefully.
When the five minutes were gone, the potion looked like a blue grey gruel. Hermione added the powdered eel skin slowly, stirred carefully and waited. Grey clots began to form separated by a clear blue fluid. She carefully inserted a strainer into the cauldron.
"This is exactly as I should be", she said. "Now, four spoonfuls should go into that phial over there. Will you hold it for me please?" - "So, and the rest we use today; Two spoonfuls in each of these two goblets." With a satisfied smile, Hermione but a paper over the two goblets and put them aside to cool.
"I'll go and wash the cauldron and the strainer", said Harry and let action follow his words. When he came back the rest of the equipment and the little phial had been put away.
"I think we let the potion cool over lunch", said Hermione. "It's about time. Let's meet in the hall. I'll go pick up the battery and make a try to put trough a call."
Harry and Hermione left through the portrait hole, gave each other a hug, and continued in different directions, satisfied in the results of the day so far.