Disclaimer: Any characters you recognize from the first 6 books in the Harry Potter series by J K Rowling belong to the aforementioned J K Rowling. I am simply playing with them for my amusement, and to see what kind of reaction I can get.
A/N: Re: Chapter 20, It looks like it is going up as written, the rating will change to 'R' because I feel it's more than PG13 will allow.
(19) R R {Rowena Ravenclaw}
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Meanwhile back in the painting
"Harry, you and Hermione will need to add more wards to the castle, some have been lost over time as the headmasters forget or feel they are not needed. Your magic is amongst the most powerful in this time, I can teach you both how to work together to increase that power even more. There are some forgotten spells, forgotten in your time, but I know them, that will help protect those in the castle and allow you to turn the castle itself against invaders. Part of that still exists in the moving staircases, they can be made to follow your commands, walls can be moved, halls can be flooded, and armies can be entombed.
I can see in your minds that you have a few … more immediate needs. As two hand written notebooks materialized in front of them. Salazar's name was on the cover of the notebook in front of Harry and the Name of Helga Hufflepuff was on the cover of Hermione's. "The books will open to the right place when you want them." Rowena said, "Put them away for now and bring your friends in so I can meet them."
Harry looked up at Rowena with some concern in his eyes, she responded, "I see you don't trust the snake man … yes … based on your experience with those of his house, I can hardly blame you. Salazar himself was a nice enough person, though some of his descendants carried his ideals to extreme. He was an expert in potions, trust the book, I won't give you help that I don't believe in."
They finished their tea then put the books away before heading to Rowena's portrait on the wall behind them. "Use some magic in front of my portrait and that will wake me up." She said as she faded from sight.
When Harry stepped through he heard the drone of the books die out and become quiet by the time Hermione stepped through. "No matter how many times I experience something new, it still amazes me." He said to Hermione as they made their way out of the Restricted Section.
Everyone was looking at them expectantly as they came into view. When they approached the gate, Harry beckoned them all to follow them and Hermione turned back towards the portrait. Eventually everyone including Madam Pince followed and caught up to Hermione at the portrait.
"Join hands so you can walk through the portrait." Said Harry, and he took the last position in the line. Hermione did a small cleaning charm to activate the portrait and Rowena bade them welcome as they walked through.
After introductions they continued talking with Rowena until they were late for supper and had to leave. During supper Hermione brought out her book and it opened to an explanation of Animagus transformation. She silently read the notes as she ate and by the time the chocolate cake and treacle tart arrived the procedure started to make sense. Harry was holding her hand under the table while devouring his treacle tart when he felt something like feathers in his hand. He started and looked at Hermione as she reappeared at his side. She had just removed a disillusionment charm from herself. After looking around, Harry judged that no one else appeared to have noticed, and then smiling to himself, he locked eyes with her to confirm what she had done.
Hermione was trying to instruct Harry by having him in her mind going through the book. They were watching each other so intently the others finally noticed. "Hey you two, unless it's personal would you mind sharing?" Asked Ron. They both focussed on Ron and tried to push the information to him in stereo which confused him all the more.
After supper was cleared away Hermione pestered Harry to open the potions book he received from Rowena and he finally capitulated. The page the book fell open to gave instructions for a birth control potion for guys, it rendered their seed ineffective as long as they took it regularly. It would take some time to make and they'd have to wait a few weeks after he started taking it, before the effect was complete. They would see Madam Pomfrey in the morning for her opinion and perhaps she could ask Slughorn to make it as he didn't seem to be going anywhere for the summer and it was tricky to make. The main advantage seemed to be that it could be made in large batches and it would stay fresh for a long time.
An hour after supper they all met with McGonagall in the transfiguration classroom and she started going over Animagus transformation as if it was a typical class exercise. Normally, most of the difficulty is in trying to find out what your animal form is going to be. Since they all knew what form they were going to be and most of them could already apparate , the only ones having a problem were Neville and Ginny and even they had succeeded in partially transforming after a few hours. When they called a halt to it a little after nine they were all tired from the stress and effort. They went back to the Gryffindor Common Room and from there split up into pairs before going their separate ways.
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After strolling, hand in hand, back to the Heads Common Room, they had gone to their own rooms to change … she would join him soon and they would spend a pleasant evening and night together. He had left his boxers on and wore his pyjamas over top, the fireplace had a slow, warm fire that should last until morning and keep the night chill out.
He had finished in their washroom a few minutes ago and could now hear her in there running water and shuffling around. He sat on the edge of his bed and tried to calm himself … a hard thing to do when he was thinking about her and the close night they would share. He was concentrating on long, deep, calming breaths and trying to keep his anxiety to a minimum.
The next thing he realized there was a torrent of concern surfacing in the back of his mind … he was feeling her worry about something, and it must be significant to create this much concern.
He wanted to go to Hermione and comfort her, but he could sense that she was not quite ready for him. He waited, not wanting to push her into anything she didn't want to do. Eventually he felt her presence getting nearer before she opened the joining door to his room and stepped in.
She had her night dress on and a bath robe over top to keep her warm. This had sounded so simple in her mind earlier when she said she would be with him tonight. They would cuddle and kiss and maybe do some exploring … now this … she had hoped it wouldn't bother her to let him see it … touch it … would he be disgusted and turn away … she didn't know.
When she first saw him he was getting up from the bed and closing the distance between them. Her anxiety soared as he took her hands gently in his and looked into her deep and troubled brown eyes, his face reflecting her concern. Whatever she was having trouble with he didn't want to talk about in his bedroom, walking backwards, he led her to the Common Room then over to the sofa.
Neither said a word for what seemed like an eternity … and Harry whispered, "We aren't going to do anything that should cause this much worry dear, I'm simply happy to be near you and to know you love me too. Whatever the cause of your concern is obviously very real in your mind … please confide in me and we'll work it out."
"I'm ugly!" she blurted, pulling him closer she started to cry into his chest.
She caught him completely off guard; he was reeling in shock from this ludicrous pronouncement. The fact that he didn't make some immediate response, in her mind, only confirmed her convictions causing her to cry more.
Moments later he had one arm wrapped around her, holding her snugly to him while the other hand was trying to raise her head so he could kiss her. Harry had no idea what was in her mind or what would help her. When she finally looked up at him she saw the confusion in his face and felt it moments later when she searched her mind for his feelings. It didn't take her too long to figure out she hadn't explained herself … at all … and how could he possibly know what she was talking about. He'd never seen her scar … gruesome as she thought it was.
"I'm sorry Harry," she whispered through her tears, "That wasn't fair of me not to explain … I was so frightened with worry … I lost my mind there, I'm sorry."
"Apology accepted … please don't frighten me like that again … what's this is all about, thank goodness you're calming down … that's my girl."
"I have a scar Harry … a grotesque and ugly scar … I'm damaged merchandise Harry." She sobbed at him.
"In case you missed it," he responded lifting the fringe of hair over his forehead, "I have a scar too and mine can be seen by everyone … let's get this over with, tell me where it is?" He asked.
She looked up and released her hug on him, he subsequently released her and she backed up opening her bath robe and letting it fall to the sofa. Harry wasn't sure where he was supposed to look. She bent over slightly with both her hands going down towards her knees causing his vision to drop in that direction. Totally surprising him she grasped the hem of her night gown and threw it up and over her head.
Harry caught sight of her knickers as the night gown came up, and clenched his eyes shut screaming, "Merlin Mione what the hell are you doing!"
"Showing you the scar … open your eyes."
"And everything else too … no I won't open my eyes."
"You're not going to see anything you wouldn't see at the beach if I was in a two piece swim costume. Look at my stomach!"
"Maybe I'd like to discover you a little bit at a time and NOT all at once"
"I knew you'd find it disgusting," she said as she looked around for her night gown.
Harry gave in, "Okay, okay, I'm opening my eyes, please don't get upset, you're driving me crazy. I'm trying to be good, I want to be able to look you in the eyes tomorrow morning and not have to apologize for being a boy."
As his eyes opened and refocused, it was hard not to take in the scenery above and below her stomach, but he tried to concentrate. Finally he found a faint pink line in a familiar jagged lightning bolt pattern, going from her left hip, no, her right, his left, diagonally across her torso to her opposite shoulder. There were a couple of splotches where it was slightly more noticeable, but overall, you'd have to look to find it. "Dolohov." He whispered as his eyes began to tear. She nodded, but he wasn't looking at her face.
He dropped down on his knees and followed the line, delicately tracing it with his finger tips. He found some ticklish spots where she giggled and squeaked at his light touch. His fingers stopped at her bra, he returned to her hip and started kissing along the line. When he arrived again at her bra he stopped and looked up at her.
"My fault … all my fault … I should have listened to you … I'm so sorry dear … I had no idea." He stood and wrapped her up in a big teddy bear hug, crying into her hair, whispering "I'm sorry" over and over again.
"Not your fault!" she insisted after a minute of surprised silence, silencing him, I thought we were safe … I was wrong … my mistake, not yours." She said.
"When I saw you slump over … I thought you were dead … I was devastated … I didn't want to live without you … It wasn't until Neville said you still had a pulse, that I had any desire to carry on."
"Put your stuff back on … let's go to sleep." Harry was shaking from the memory of that night, as he released her from the hug and handed her, her night gown. He held her bath robe until she had slipped the gown over herself, then he draped the robe over her shoulders and led her to his bedroom.
Dobby must have been there, the fire was bigger making the room toasty and there was a warmer in the bed. Harry lifted up the covers as she dropped her robe and crawled into the warm bed then scooted over to make room for him. As he was finding his way in he saw her bra fly over the bed and onto the floor. He turned to face her, she still had her night gown on … he let out his breath and relaxed wrapping her into a comfortable hug.
"I was worried over nothing, wasn't I?" she asked.
"Yes … It's you I love and you I want, regardless of the imperfections you think you have, I think you're perfect … and I now have a valid excuse to run my lips and tongue all over you." He said with an impish grin, she squirmed and smiled. Now, before we go too far … beyond the point of no return, so to speak … I have one … concern, I think … I don't think life would be worth living if you weren't with me. I want to be sure that … if we ever break up as a couple … we can still remain friends. I promise you that I will always want you as my friend … always … no matter what."
"Harry." She said with a sigh, "We've been friends for the better part of six years; I think we know each other too well for that to change for any reason. I will always be your friend too … no matter what."
"Thank you love …" he said as he kissed her nose.
He couldn't see her smile as her hands were slowly migrating under his pyjama top, over his stomach and up to the well muscled chest she wanted to explore. "How far can I go." She asked in a whisper, not sure what he wanted to do now … he was still holding her in a loose hug and hadn't started any exploration of her.
"… Trust you …" He moaned, "but if you make a mess …"
"I have to clean it up," She giggled and continued exploring his chest for now. Being away from home and with little or no supervision, they could get away with anything in their bedroom, their bedroom she though, yet she was content to know that her worries were unfounded … he was there for her … she for him, and she couldn't be happier.
Her happiness snuck into his mind as he wiggled down in the bed so he could kiss her neck and work his way around her collar bone to her chest and through the neck opening of her gown. She leaned her head back as he progressed, making room for him, as he wiggled again and his face found an opening between her breasts, burying itself in there. Life couldn't be better … he could both feel and hear her heart beating rapidly in her chest. He thought he was now the happiest boy in the world and he could feel that she was happy too.
Through the night they changed positions several times and as has been the norm, Harry woke up first in the morning. Finding her head resting on his chest again and their arms encircling the other. He quickly realized that their arms weren't trapped between them and the bed. They seemed to be floating a little bit off the bed even though they were still under the covers. Harry closed his eyes and thought it was unbelievably brilliant.
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A few moments later Hermione's eyes opened as she came awake. The slight movement she made as she looked up caused Harry to open his eyes and look down at her. There was a mischievous look in her eyes that reminded him of Fred and George when they were planning a prank. She started unbuttoning his pyjama top then whispered to him in a cheeky voice, "I'll wash your back if you wash mine … how hot do you like the water?"
"I'm not trying to scrub a Quidditch match off so it doesn't have to be hot … set it the way you like it." He replied with a quiver in his voice and a sparkle in his eyes.
"I'll be a few minutes, wait until you hear the shower running." She peeled open his pyjama top and kissed his chest before rolling over and getting up. After collecting her bra and bathrobe from the floor she left.
After last night there wasn't very much left to his imagination although a bit of her that he hadn't seen or touched would soon be checked off the list. The thought of soapy slipperiness and both of them in the shower together was already raising his heart rate when he heard the shower start.
He slowly got out of bed, allowing her some time to adjust the temperature to her liking while he left his pyjamas and boxers behind. There certainly wouldn't be any modesty issues after this shower . The shower door closed behind her as he entered the bathroom. Whether she had been watching for him or had only just entered the shower he didn't know. He took care of some personal necessities before approaching the shower door.